Recipes - Tools - Community and Events - References - Inspiration - To do
Motivated by questions asked on privacy, security, self-hosting and the deGoogling process.
Advices sorted by importance
- start small, you will be overwhelmed doing everything at once
- everything runs on hardware, if you buy locked-in hardware, you are making it harder on yourself
- if there is any software required, then it is probably needs proprietary and does not respect standard, consequently it will create future difficulties
- if you still do buy such hardware, at the very least confirm that at least one non-proprietary software, e.g. Linux, can actually use your hardware
- verify that on forums and insure this has been recentlfy confirmed
- even though it is possible to reverse engineer hardware it is an adventure in itself
- if you have never done it, do not even consider this path if you are not genuinely ready to invest a lot of time learning in the process AND be 100% ready to accept failure
- consumable are also a way to lock-in
- if consumables are required for your hardware, make sure they are standards, serviceable and replaceable
- consider also if replacing parts does not require special authorisation
- subscription can be justified if there are recurring costs, e.g. maintenance, server costs, etc
- this creates dependency on that service, consequently one must verify there is a plausible exit, one that others have already used and can attest is still possible and convenient
- migration is easier than you anticipate
- as you consider the new tool or platform, you are imagining all the scenarii it could go wrong
- you are partly correct but like every other novel process, you will learn along the way
- you do not need 100% of your data nor even your social network
- most of you data is not data you created but rather media from others you can get again
- most of your contact list are not people you contact frequently
- overall consider most of your data, contact and activities a long tail curve
- consequently be pragmatic, think of the 80/20 heuristic
- cover what genuinely matter and the rest can come later on, if need be
- a shocking example of this is contact apps, one would thing we need to convert all our family, friends, acquaintance to move there before it is useful
- this is not true, in practice check with whom you actually exchange daily and you will probably notice a pattern than only a few people fit within that category
- also we forget that most people are fine having multiple chat apps
- proprietary software is a form of lock-in
- if you rely on such software, you can never be sure that the next version will still allow you to exit
- whatever hardware and software combination you use, verify that alternatives can import your work
- this allows you to actually have a choice
- if no alternative exist, then you are creating a dependency
- do not wait for others to change
- be the change you want to be, even if you are the first
- that remains valid for social challenges, i.e. being the first on a new chat program with nobody from your contact list on it yet
- this still allows you to test and understand the limitations then facilitate on-boarding for others later on
- when you do migrate to another better platform, try to keep your archive
- even if you can not, or not want to, import your old data back, you can still have it available to yoruself and others
- be pragmatic in your choices
- if there is truly no other acceptable option, e.g. medical hardware like a pacemaker that is not open source hardware and software, and there is a genuine need then consider relying on it while actively looking for alternatives
- rely on heuristics for purchases
- if a tool, hardware or software, needs to be online to work, it probably needs to contact the manufacturer
- this means the manufacturer can most likely issue updates
- via updates, features can be disabled, devices made obsolete arbitrarily
- hardware and software is made by people, just like ANY other product
- if you appreciate the work, respect the people making it
- this is rarely an after thought on hardware because it usually must be pay upfront
- for software though, it can be downloaded or used directly, before or even without paying
- contribute however you can
- it can be financially but if you can not, write code too, provide a translation pr just say thank you
- consider the organizations that make products you rely on
- being non-profit does not insure that the product will remain open
- most popular example at the moment is probably OpenAI
- switched from non-profit for the global good to for-profit with exclusive partnership with corporation who was already leveraging lock-in
- liberate yourself
- as you gather, setup and use hardware and software that is not limiting your usage, expand your mind
- you have been "trained" to wait for new feature, updates that give you "new" usages
- step back and consider "what if" questions
- act on those needs however you can!
- this is, ironically enough, the most challenge step as we are used to accept, wait and pay
- iterate
- this entire process is not a "once and done" thing
- corporations are constantly searching for new ways to extract rent from consumers
- document, change, improve, share with others
Recipes
Tools
Community and Events
References
Inspiration
To do
organize via email :
- deGoogling (e.g. /e/OS or LineageOS or Linux on mobile but also DuckDuckGo, ProtonMail, etc)
- open source (e.g. Linux on desktop but also for gaming, e.g SteamDeck)
- open hardware (e.g. Watchy on my wrist right now, PineBuds, CrowdSupply)
- eInk (e.g. reMarkable, which is Linux proper, or PineNote which is Android)
- tablet (e.g. PineTab2 which is Linux proper, not Android)
- small tech (e.g. NextCloud on Webo vs Google Drive)
- offline alternative (e.g. Kiwi to download Wikipedia, StackOverflow)
- self hosting (e.g. RPi at home for media with DLNA, server online, backup server, NAS at home, TailScale for remote access)
- emerging tech
- not just "old" stuff like "cloud" or file sharing.
- IoT (e.g. ZigBee devices for HomeAssistant)
- 3D printing (e.g. Lite3DP or modeling with Blender)
- XR (e.g. rooted Lynx XR1 or Monocle and Frame by BrilliantLabs)
on security : e.g CrowdSec on server, at home finger printing (YubiKey Bio) to login on my Linux desktop, cf https://mastodon.pirateparty.be/@utopiah/114239122299848793
that overall there ARE solutions for pretty much everything. My most important advice though, as a practitioner for years now, is to go slow. To cut yourself some slack and go step by step, actually enjoy the learning process including its challenges.
Basically the enemy of this process is perfection.
Fabien Benetou's PIM
