Hi HN, I'd like to discuss the ideas behind this proof of concept called Mizzle.
Two core ideas: check mail through a feed, and stop using the inbox for storage.
# Why I built it
If it were up to me, I would not be using email anymore. For me, it's all about promotions, calendar invites and OTP codes now. Since it is not going away (for good reasons) I have been asking myself how I could enjoy it more.
Twenty years ago, the default action was keep. That was the reasoning behind Gmail's 1 GB of storage in 2004. Nowadays, it is throw, in my opinion. And what is more disposable than social media?
# What it does
Scroll your inbox like a feed. Your email decays, nothing lasts past 7 days. Should not decay? It will. Share to Google Calendar or download. Two modes (I often browse my inbox because I'm bored): Check to graze, the main gesture is double-tap · Write, a batched view of what you liked (for when I'm in the mood).
Neither Like nor Share keeps the email. A photo, a receipt, a contract → you don't need the email, you need the payload (exporting to Google Calendar, in particular, has worked well).
- HEY. Feed for newsletters/marketing only → feed for your whole inbox. Dedicated address → keep using Gmail (in fact, Mizzle uses standard IMAP/SMTP).
- Inbox-zero tools like Superhuman, Sanebox. AI in your inbox → AI is not really needed. Drain the pile to zero → there is no pile.
- Swipe-triage tools like Mailbox (RIP), Avec. Every email requires a decision and a gesture → scroll, double-tap some.
---
Mizzle is self-hosted against your own Gmail, no hosted demo. It requires Node and a Google App Password. No state is held locally, all data is synced to Gmail.
I've been using Mizzle for eleven days straight now (only opening Gmail to confirm it works). What would break in your workflow if email expired by default?
cabra•49m ago
Two core ideas: check mail through a feed, and stop using the inbox for storage.
# Why I built it
If it were up to me, I would not be using email anymore. For me, it's all about promotions, calendar invites and OTP codes now. Since it is not going away (for good reasons) I have been asking myself how I could enjoy it more.
Twenty years ago, the default action was keep. That was the reasoning behind Gmail's 1 GB of storage in 2004. Nowadays, it is throw, in my opinion. And what is more disposable than social media?
# What it does
Scroll your inbox like a feed. Your email decays, nothing lasts past 7 days. Should not decay? It will. Share to Google Calendar or download. Two modes (I often browse my inbox because I'm bored): Check to graze, the main gesture is double-tap · Write, a batched view of what you liked (for when I'm in the mood).
Neither Like nor Share keeps the email. A photo, a receipt, a contract → you don't need the email, you need the payload (exporting to Google Calendar, in particular, has worked well).
# How it compares to
- Gmail. Archive everything, ~~search~~ don't find anything later → delete everything.
- HEY. Feed for newsletters/marketing only → feed for your whole inbox. Dedicated address → keep using Gmail (in fact, Mizzle uses standard IMAP/SMTP).
- Inbox-zero tools like Superhuman, Sanebox. AI in your inbox → AI is not really needed. Drain the pile to zero → there is no pile.
- Swipe-triage tools like Mailbox (RIP), Avec. Every email requires a decision and a gesture → scroll, double-tap some.
---
Mizzle is self-hosted against your own Gmail, no hosted demo. It requires Node and a Google App Password. No state is held locally, all data is synced to Gmail.
I've been using Mizzle for eleven days straight now (only opening Gmail to confirm it works). What would break in your workflow if email expired by default?