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0 pointsemptysongglass4y ago0 comments

You are declaring things as facts but my experience is yes startups do spend huge capital on ensuring GDPR compliance and neurotically worry over it.

I also have experience from two start-up scale-ups that many clients are saying we won't work with you if you use a US Big Cloud. The EU alternatives are much worse and this causes lots of developer waste now ensuring the platform runs as well on the Big Cloud as it does with really terrible EU-cloud.

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matthewmacleod4y ago

Yes, I am declaring these things as facts based on my own experience with European startups – yours may vary. So far, the approach has been miles away from "spending huge capital" or "neurotically worrying", and much more "just following the regulations and getting on with it".

I also have experience from two start-up scale-ups that many clients are saying we won't work with you if you use a US Big Cloud

Yeah, I've not heard this from anyone – but if it's the case, it sounds like there's market pressure to use services that offer better protection of personal data. Sounds like you've found an opportunity to offer an EU-based cloud service that's better than the competition :)

emptysongglassOP4y ago

I'm confused: your Hacker News blurb says you're the head of a UK based company. Where are you getting your direct experience from?

This is going to sound more aggressive than it is but it doesn't look like you're qualified to be declaring these kinds of facts on the realities faced by EU businesses.

I'm still working at one of the two companies I mentioned, in Denmark. It's a very real problem for us right now. And I think you're understating the effort required to launch a competitive cloud, especially given the regulatory hurdles of the EU.

matthewmacleod4y ago

Where are you getting your direct experience from? This is going to sound more aggressive than it is but it doesn't look like you're qualified to be declaring these kinds of facts on the realities faced by EU businesses.

I would suggest you focus on talking about the specific issues you face rather than questioning my background, but bear in mind that the UK was part of the GDPR pre-Brexit, is presently subject to much the same regime, our company is a recipient of Horizon 2020 funding, we have offices, customers and investors in the EU, and I have spent several years now dealing with the regulatory issues raised by GDPR and how they impact on our business. I am reasonably confident that I know what I'm talking about – you experience may vary, and I am way more interested in hearing what you feel your challenges are than I am in nitpicking your credentials.

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matthewmacleod4y ago

I also have experience from two start-up scale-ups that many clients are saying we won't work with you if you use a US Big Cloud

emptysongglassOP4y ago

I'm confused: your Hacker News blurb says you're the head of a UK based company. Where are you getting your direct experience from?

This is going to sound more aggressive than it is but it doesn't look like you're qualified to be declaring these kinds of facts on the realities faced by EU businesses.

matthewmacleod4y ago

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse