Burn Journal

First of all, sorry you've run into a problem.  Please fill out the Feedback form with as much detail as you can about what you were doing when you ran into the problem.  I read every message logged and appreciate you taking the time to report your issue.  I will get back to you if you request a reply or if I need additional info.  Thanks much!

All journal entries are deleted 7 days after they're created.

Journal entry data is encrypted, by SSL, once the form you enter it into is submitted, for transit to the server.  The server decrypts the data and re-encrypts it, using a key unique to you (comprised of data from your password, data from the database, and data from the server's files) so that your journal entry is stored encrypted in the database.  When you view a previous entry, the process is reversed so that you see it, as you wrote it originally, on the View Entry page.

Though I have no relationship with them (other than as a satisifed, paying customer), I strongly suggest you create an account with an end-to-end encrypted email service, like ProtonMail.  They even have a free account option, so there is literally no reason not to open an account with them, though you should pay the pittance that is their "Mail Plus" membership level.  Because your email account is crucial for account verification and password resets (not to mention your personal correspondence) you want to make absolutely sure your account uses a long AND unique password.  Though I have no relationship with them, password managers like LastPass and 1Password are very popular.

All passwords should be long and unique these days since the constantly-increasing computing power used by hackers rapidly breaks weak passwords.  Make sure your Burn Journal account uses a long AND unique password.  Though I have no relationship with them, password managers like LastPass and 1Password are very popular.

To hedge against "fat fingering".  Normally you could just hit the "Forgot Password?" link as many times as you like but Burn Journal is a little different in that, due to end-to-end encryption, any time you reset your password all existing journal entries you've created are deleted (since your password is used as part of the key to encrypt them).  It is important to use a strong password and these, by definition, need to be long and unique, which increases the odds that you might type it wrong initially.  This is meant to help ensure you know your password and save you annoyance later.  (If you're using a password manager, apologies for the extra work - I hope you'll forgive me! :) )

In the unfortunate situation where someone takes over the email account with which you've associated your Burn Journal account, having the delete-and-ban account link saved somewhere (or even written on paper?!), outside of your (now inaccessible) email inbox, allows you the ability to quickly delete all of your journal entries and block use of your email address in the Burn Journal system until the date you supply (as part of the "delete-and-ban-account" process).  Getting your email hacked is unpleasant enough without worrying about your accounts elsewhere being compromised.

Recall the core purpose of Burn Journal.  Quick, ephemeral journaling.  If you are still going strong and run out of space (the textarea will prevent you from entering more than you can save per entry), just resume typing in the new Add Entry textarea that appears as soon as the page refreshes (after it informs you that a "New journal entry created.").

Like a physical journal, where entries are written in pen, Burn Journal entries are not editable once created; only readable and deletable.  Remember, the point is to not accumulate things you keep referring back to but, rather, to encourage you to dump what is in your head and/or refine your thinking.  Don't fret that you can't edit an entry, just create another one as you clarify your thoughts/ideas.

Without your "old" password, the system is unable to create the key required to decrypt the journal entries you created when signed in with your old password.  Therefore there is no reason to keep them so they are deleted upon successful completion of your password reset.

Because you provide your old password to the system when you change your password from the Settings page, your existing journal entries can be decrypted using your existing key and re-encrypted with the new key constructed with your new password.

Because you are a paying customer, I sell no ads with nor have any interest in your data (even if I could decrypt it, which I can't).  However, I will turnover (the absolute minimum) data required by a legal subpoena from law enforcement officials in the jurisdictions I am subject to as a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the state of Colorado.  So, do us all a favor, and do not use Burn Journal for anything unsavory, and we should be all good!

Sorry about that!  Please fill out the Feedback form with your question.  I read every message logged and will get back to you if you request a reply or if I need additional clarification.  Thanks much!