I'm not too good to write on english and Make statements, but with help of digital fellow - I came up with thougths about nessesity of AlbyHub..

I have been self-hosting one right after its release. But yet I have not understood what it is good for.

For one - it is not full-sovereing-mykeys-Lightning-wallet.

And yes, The story...

Once upon a time in the bustling world of digital payments, a revolutionary service called Alby Hub emerged. Branded as the bridge between users and the dynamic Lightning Network, Alby's marketing campaigns were vibrant, promising independence, security, and decentralization. However, as people began to dig deeper into its offerings, cracks in the narrative became evident.

Alby’s marketing proudly emphasized its commitment to user control, stating that Alby Hub empowers users by allowing them to hold their own keys. Phrases like “Take charge of your funds” and “Complete self-custody for your financial independence” adorned their promotional materials. Yet, beneath the surface, Alby Hub didn’t provide keys at all. Instead, it relied on connections to external Lightning wallets and nodes, leaving users dependent on those third-party systems for key management. Critics began asking: if there are no keys to manage within Alby Hub, how can it provide self-custody?

Another banner claim was that Alby Hub featured an integrated Lightning Wallet, simplifying the user experience. The appeal of having an all-in-one system lured many adopters. Yet, in practice, users realized that Alby Hub didn’t include an integrated wallet at all. Instead, it required connecting to wallets running externally. To many, this felt less like integration and more like delegation—users were merely interfacing with an external tool through Alby Hub. The term “integrated” began to feel like a misnomer, sparking debates about the transparency of Alby’s marketing.

Decentralization—the heart of blockchain ideology—was a cornerstone of Alby Hub’s messaging. It was portrayed as a product that empowered users to contribute to the decentralization of the financial ecosystem. However, skeptics questioned this claim. Alby Hub’s reliance on external nodes and accounts tied to Alby’s ecosystem created new centralized points of dependency. While it facilitated user interaction with the Lightning Network, it didn’t inherently decentralize anything. Instead, its architecture nudged users closer to centralization, as running an independent node became secondary to simply connecting with one that already existed.

While Alby Hub undeniably provides useful functionality, its marketing sometimes paints a rosier picture than reality. The disconnect between its promoted features and actual capabilities has left users with both questions and lessons. Transparency is vital in the decentralized finance space, and platforms like Alby Hub must strive to ensure their claims align closely with what they deliver.

Your few sats?