I am writing a page to document how my tech stack has evolved recently. I will continue to update this page as the process continues to document the reasons why I am updating my tech stack and the choices I have made along the way. I know it is rather silly to enumerate my entire attack surface to hackers, but really, some of these companies are so good I really can’t resist sharing.
Why
I will pass this one over to Cory Doctorow, who’s call to action at 39C3 explains it better than I could. Worth a good watch.
How
This list mirrors the Eurostack in intent, but is open to international software.
| Tech | From | To | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 🇨🇭 Proton Mail | I set a business account with Proton which allows me to run email on multiple domains that I own and have access to other Proton products. I find the mobile and desktop apps to be very mature and easy to use. This is a much better experience than Gmail, and infinitely more secure and private ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | |
| Domain Registrar & DNS Server | Amazon Route 53 | 🇫🇷 Gandi | Gandi is now serving as both my Registrar and my DNS Server. I am extremely satisfied, and I trust that I own my domains and that my privacy is ensured when using Gandi. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Cloud Hosting | Amazon AWS | 🇫🇷 OVH Cloud | Candidly speaking, as an AWS Certified Solutions Architect, moving from AWS’s rich and complex product line to OVH cloud has been a challenge. However, I have rediscovered that I just need a Linux box that I can SSH to in order to accomplish any task. I increasingly wonder if all the complexity of AWS actually served a purpose other than to tie me to their services. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Blogging | Meta Facebook | 🇵🇹 Self-Hosted WordPress | I used to share a lot of thoughts on Facebook. But as time passed, I found what I shared to be disorganized, reactive to things that the Facebook algorithm thrust into my feed instead of things that I really cared about, and the comment sections absolutely toxic. So the blog you are reading now has been a liberating experience. Owning my own blogs has done wonder for my mental health. That said, WordPress is a pain in the ass to administer, so three stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Microblogging | Meta Threads, X (Twitter) | 🇩🇪 mastadon.social (Fediverse) | I was never a huge microblogger, but I think that Mastadon will satisfy that itch adequately. For the moment, I am still building out connections and community on this platform. Candidly speaking, the networking opportunities are still limited compared with other platforms but I expect this to grow over time and I love the Fediverse. ⭐️⭐️ |
| Photo Sharing | 🇵🇹 Europixel (Fediverse) | I thought I would contribute to the Fediverse and spin up my own Pixelfed instance. It is a lot of work but rewarding. Shout out to Daniel Supernault in Canada who leads this project and coded this amazing software, including solid iOS and Android apps. Giving four stars because I have not got video uploads working yet ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | |
| LLMs | ChatGPT | 🇫🇷 Mistral Le Chat | Despite being a vocal AI skeptic, there are legitimate uses for LLMs in my daily life, so I pay for Mistral Le Chat which satisfies my AI needs for the moment. Eventually I would like to run my own LLM locally. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| VPN | None | 🇨🇭 Proton VPN | I used to connect my devices directly to my internet provider’s modem, but I learned the security risks and privacy concerns of doing this. I now run my own wifi router and use Proton VPN directly on the router’s hardware. The connection is stable and there is no noticeable degradation in speed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Web Browser | Chrome | 🇺🇸 Brave | I think Brave has been a step up from Chrome, but recent privacy issues in incognito mode and questionable decisions about replacing publisher ads with ads placed by Brave have me looking for a new browser. I just want something lightweight and fast that renders HTML and isn’t bloated. Is that too much to ask? ⭐️ |
| Search | 🇺🇸 Kagi | The more I use LLMs for research, the more I realize that what I really want is better search. Kagi is proving to be this better search. Ad free, private, customizable, and more relevant results. I am still evaluating it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | |
| Storage | Apple, Google, Microsoft | 🇨🇭 Proton Drive | Included in my Proton Business account, I have more than enough storage to stop using Apple, Google and Microsoft. That said, I question whether I really need a storage provider, it is easy enough to set up NAS attached to my router. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Messaging | Apple iMessage, Meta WhatsApp & Facebook Messanger | 🇺🇸 Signal | I can’t say enough good things about signal. Video call quality is fantastic even across the oceans, and I trust them to be Moxie Marlinspike and Meredith Whittaker are both heros. I donate to the Signal Foundation regularly. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Password Manager | Chome, Apple | 🇨🇦 1Password | I have been using 1Password for years and I love it. There is something amazing about being able to switch browsers and mobile operating systems at will without having to migrate all of your passwords. An independent password manager gives you such freedom. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Music Streaming | Apple Music, Google Play | 🇫🇷 Deezer | Deezer may not have the same market share as Spotify, but Spotify’s ethics are questionable, and Deezer pays better royalties to artists. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Video Streaming | Netflix, Amazon Prime | 🇨🇦 Crave, 🇺🇸 The Criterion Channel, 🇬🇧 Mubi, 🇬🇧 BBC Britbox | I do not miss formulaic slop that the Netflix recommendation engine spoon fed me for years. I so much prefer the human curated thematic collections of the best of world cinema provided by the Criterion Chanel and Mubi. And for mindless comedy, Britbox has me covered. Crave for watching Heated Rivalry! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Health Trackers | Garmin, Apple Watch | 🇫🇷 Withings | Withings offer a rich ecosystem of health tracking devices that are way more advanced than a mere smartwatch. I have been using their under-the-mattress sleep tracker for a decade but I now use their entire product line, including their stylish watch. I am giving four stars because I still need to use my Garmin watch for accurate lap tracking, as I am a competitive swimmer. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Ride Sharing & Food Delivery | Uber | 🇪🇪 Bolt | Since I live in the EU, I can choose Bolt. Cars are not always as nice but I am happy with it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Maps | Google Maps, Google Waze | 🇳🇱 OpenStreetMap Automated Navigation Directions 🇩🇪 MagicEarth | I will migrate to one of these and let you know. 💬💬💬 |
| Calendar | Google Calendar | 🇨🇭 Proton Calendar | I will migrate to this and let you know. 💬💬💬 |
| Shortform Video Sharing | Tiktok | 🇨🇦 Loops | Another project from Daniel Supernault in Canada of Pixelfed fame. I will give it a spin and let you know 💬💬💬 |
| Documents | Google Docs | 🇨🇭 Proton Drive, Proton Sheets, Proton Docs | I will migrate to this and let you know. 💬💬💬 |
| Phone hardware | Apple iPhone | 🇳🇱 Fairphone | When it comes time to upgrade my iPhone, Fairphone will be my choice 💬💬💬 |
| Phone OS | Apple iOS | 🇪🇺 /e/OS | Open source de-googlefied android. It will come pre-installed on my new Fairphone 💬💬💬 |