Introduction

Following the questions, I got asked in person and even online, I am taking this opportunity to talk about what an @‎sign is and why you should get one.

First, it is pronounced as ‘at-sign’. An ‎@‎sign is a unique handle that functions as your digital identity for apps built on the @‎platform.

In this article, you will learn about @‎sign, @‎platform, and the idea behind this privacy-focused technology.

Have you ever thought of an internet where you don’t need to worry about ReCaptcha, email sign-ins, cookies, and ‘forgot password? Read on

What is the @‎platform?

The @‎platform, pronounced as “atplatform,” is a full-stack platform(i.e, a set of software technologies that allows building a solution that provides the end customer with a complete product) written in Dart and Flutter and includes a wide range of widgets, services, and libraries designed to create privacy-first applications.

Developed by The atsign Company, the @‎platform provides various tools to enable developers to build end-to-end encrypted solutions.

The @‎platform is open source, and the team loves Pull Requests(PRs).

The @‎platform solves one of the fundamental problems of today’s internet - The replication of Data. The current internet is designed so that solutions providers own your data; however, with the @‎platform, YOU own your data.

And because we refrain from using emails as unique identifiers, we created @‎signs (atsigns) which are your own encryption keys.

What is an @‎sign?

An @‎sign is a handle (i.e., @‎iamCynthiaPeter) that functions as your digital identity. It uses end-to-end encryption to ensure that your Data is 100% owned and controlled by you. Like your Twitter or Instagram username but with more functions, the @‎platfrom is your key to opening all the doors to applications built on the @‎platform.

An @‎sign can be as simple as @‎alice, @‎bob419, @‎awesomedev, or even @‎iamcynthia💙.

To access applications or solutions built on the @‎platform, you’d need to get an @‎sign. And for some fun and straightforward reasons, The atsign Company has provided a collection of cool @‎signs that are free. These @‎signs are a combination of fun words and numbers; in fact, I got one that is @‎tastelesscoffee.

If you need an @‎‎‎sign that is more customized and personalized, you’d need to pay between $10 - $5000 for each one.

However, if you want to try out the applications we currently have or are just curious about the coolest @‎sign you could get for free, head over to my.atsign.com/go and get yours.

How to get an @‎sign

Now that you understand what an @‎sign is and what it is used for, you’re thinking, how do you get one?

First, head on to my.atsign.com/go to get free @‎signs. You can scroll a bit down to create a custom @‎sign for as low as $10. The screenshot below shows the page.

However, to enable you to understand why this technology is important, you can get the free @‎sign to test applications.

Choose one or more free @‎sign, Click on the ‘add to cart' button on your right and you will see a pop-up like the one below:

This takes you to the checkout page. Follow the rest of the steps to get an @‎sign.

Note: You know you have successfully created an atsign when you get confetti🎊 - Yes, we love to celebrate.

Now I have my @‎sign, what's next?

Now that you have an @‎sign, I am sure you want to try it out and see how it works. There is no better way to understand things better than actually digging in.

Download the @mospherePro app which is a file-sharing app available for Android, Windows, or iOS.

Enter your activated @‎sign and you can use the @‎mospherePro app to send and receive files from any part of the world.

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Summary

Unlike a Twitter handle or username, an @‎sign acts as a digital gatekeeper who controls what Data you share, with whom, and for how long. And to access any application built on the @‎platform, you need an @‎sign.

Head over to my.atsign.com/go to get yours. Share your @‎sign with us on Twitter.

And let’s #FlipTheInternet Together.

Are you an open-source enthusiast looking for projects to contribute to? AtmospherePro is open for contributions. Visit the github Repo to learn more.

Join us on Discord and follow us on Twitter @atsigncompany.