Obviously this whole thing is a reaction to the Let's Encrypt threat, which is that basically all simple certs (which are probably the vast majority of the market) are going to $0 cost.
What I don't get is what they hope to achieve? At best, if they were to win, there are two possible outcomes:
1: Let's Encrypt renames itself to something else, and continues issuing certificates.
2: Let's Encrypt folds, and a dozen clones pop up to take its place.
Either way, the simple certificate market still goes to $0.
Whether they win or not, they've managed to piss off the tech community (as in the people that obtain and install SSL certificates). We see this petty and futile move for what it is, and now on top of that, their CEO has shown they are basically at GoDaddy levels of sleazy, and has only reinforced to anyone paying attention to this that they do not want to be doing business with this company.
HN, reddit and other places where people're being upset over this is a tiny portion of the "tech community" and people who're obtaining SSL certificates. You would be surprised how little a lot of people working in the industry care about news like this.
They are trying to create brand confusion. Let's Encrypt is big news right now. Everyone knows their service is 'going places'. Comodo's people figure they can steer some customers toward their service if those customers don't know better.
It's a sleazy bait-and-switch sort of tactic, like offering a free service and then using popups or confusing navigation to make people think it isn't free so they pay for it.
The CEO's post makes it pretty clear what sort of person he really is. I think their employees should resign. People who knowingly work for evil corporations deserve some of the shame if they don't leave when that evil is recognized.
Comments
Obviously this whole thing is a reaction to the Let's Encrypt threat, which is that basically all simple certs (which are probably the vast majority of the market) are going to $0 cost.
What I don't get is what they hope to achieve? At best, if they were to win, there are two possible outcomes:
1: Let's Encrypt renames itself to something else, and continues issuing certificates.
2: Let's Encrypt folds, and a dozen clones pop up to take its place.
Either way, the simple certificate market still goes to $0.
Whether they win or not, they've managed to piss off the tech community (as in the people that obtain and install SSL certificates). We see this petty and futile move for what it is, and now on top of that, their CEO has shown they are basically at GoDaddy levels of sleazy, and has only reinforced to anyone paying attention to this that they do not want to be doing business with this company.
HN, reddit and other places where people're being upset over this is a tiny portion of the "tech community" and people who're obtaining SSL certificates. You would be surprised how little a lot of people working in the industry care about news like this.
Why does it matter that few people care about news like this? Even if few do, it still affects them.
They are trying to create brand confusion. Let's Encrypt is big news right now. Everyone knows their service is 'going places'. Comodo's people figure they can steer some customers toward their service if those customers don't know better.
It's a sleazy bait-and-switch sort of tactic, like offering a free service and then using popups or confusing navigation to make people think it isn't free so they pay for it.
The CEO's post makes it pretty clear what sort of person he really is. I think their employees should resign. People who knowingly work for evil corporations deserve some of the shame if they don't leave when that evil is recognized.