Techlore Talks The Email Provider Google Doesn't Want You to Know About (Fastmail Interview)
5 snips
Nov 19, 2025 Ricardo Signes, Chief Engineer at Fastmail, dives into the fragmented experience of Gmail and contrasts it with Fastmail’s streamlined approach. He discusses the outdated IMAP protocol and the modern JMAP, highlighting its potential for better performance and privacy. Ricardo talks about the challenges of end-to-end encryption in email and why seamless user experience often takes precedence. He also emphasizes the importance of good internet citizenship and how Fastmail supports transparency and user empowerment in the digital landscape.
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Values Drive Product Decisions
- FastMail’s core values prioritize being stewards of user data and being good internet citizens.
- Those values shape technical choices like open standards and privacy-focused design.
Productivity Over Market Share
- Ricardo argues Gmail creates friction for heavy email users and prioritizes broad markets over productivity.
- FastMail focuses on speed, search, and low-friction workflows for productivity-focused users.
Use Better Tools For Private Chats
- Use dedicated secure messaging like Signal when you need strong, usable end-to-end secrecy.
- Avoid relying on traditional email for seamless end-to-end encryption until key exchange and protocols improve.