Tip 30: Embrace a More Analog Life
100%
There was actually nothing wrong with analog products, and they were only replaced so that companies could sell you more shit you don’t need.
Not only from a privacy perspective, but analog tech is often made to last a lifetime and/or can be easily repaired compared to modern tech versions.
Many of us did it that way in the past. I still bring a notebook to in-person meetings for handwritten notes. I only have a few smart bulbs and smart switches in the house because they are more accurate than the analog timers. There are things like digital music that make life far more convenient than records, tapes, and CDs, though. So much technology is unnecessary, though.
I’m not a Luddite, so I enjoy technology where it makes sense.
But I prefer low-tech things when given the option. 🤗
That’s the great thing about it. You choose what works for you. When you don’t chase what other people think you should be using, you get more value out of what you want to be using.
Quite a few of the tools I personally decided to use aren’t listed but a big +1 for this cool blog post nonetheless :)
You mind naming some of those tools?
not at all.
- Browser: Waterfox (UK). Vivaldi (to have a chrome-based one).
- Cloud: filen.io (German, e2ee) and infomaniak Kdrive (Swiss, not e2ee)
- Online office suite: Infomaniak Kdrive (they offer a version of MSOffice online)
- Offline office suite: TextMaker & PlanMaker, from softmaker.com. Not FLOSS but excellent compatibility with Word/Docx, available for Linux as well (something I would love to see more non-free companies do so I happily support those who do ;) and it’s offered as a sub or as a perpetual license.
- Email: my own domain + Proton and tuta.
- Phone: iPhone that I seldom use beside what I truly need which is the occasional phone call, banking apps and digital ids. I don’t message, I don’t chat, I have no social installed, no games, not even email is configured on it.
- Search: Kagi (mentioned in the post, USA) + Qwant (Fr)
- Social Networks: Lemmy, and only on the computer. That’s all.
- Ebooks: I went back to print. I explained my motivations on my blog if anyone is interested.
- News: went back to printed newspapers. No tracking.
- Note-taking: a cheap pocket notebook with great paper (from the French Clairefontaine) and a cheap ballpoint Crystal Bic from, well, Bic (FR too).
- Agenda: paper.
- Shop locally (France/EU, in my case): quite a few online as well as brick and mortar shops. Say, leboncoin.fr as an alternative to craiglist/ebay, and ldlc.com for computer/high-tech stuff (they have great customer support, something I value a lot) and worldofbooks.com for used books in English. Local book shops too, used and new. As little Uber as possible (I can walk/use public transit almost anywhere I need to go). Local groceries (bio), local restaurants (real restaurants, I mean). And so on.
- Streaming: none. I quit all streaming services, went back to DVD/CDs. Too bad for those that can’t be bothered to be offered on discs as they simply don’t get our money ;)
How do you use your own domain between Proton and Tuta?
Not between. I use both as separate encrypted emails so people using one or the other of those encrypted services can easily reach me if they want to. I also used to use PGP with my own domain email but no one never used it, so I gave up on that.
I didn’t know about OpenVoiceOS, I usually see Leon more recommended (also open-source), are there upsides of using OpenVoiceOS instead of Leon? I don’t see Leon mentioned on it
You just need to read more of the blog, I’m sure they went in-depth at some point.
I did read and no they didn’t address this specific question, this is all it says about personal assistants:
Tip 5: Open-Source Voice AssistantOpen-Source Voice Assistant
Say goodbye to Alexa and other voice assistants that eavesdrop and analyze your conversations. Instead, try a privacy-friendly alternative like OpenVoiceOS, an open-source assistant developed by an active community and runnable on a Raspberry Pi. This way, you stay in control of your data.
#Alexa #OpenVoiceOS #Sprachassistent #VoiceControl #SpeechRecognition #datenschutz #privacy
This is a neat little read! Most of my phone use is for music and podcasts so I’d be stoked to try out funkwhale! All the other changes are really interesting too, it’s nice to see the perspective from outside the US, thanks for the share.
Good old Kuketz-Blog, now also in English.
Usually solid advice, you can take everything they write without a pinch of salt.
I’m new to the Fediverse and am astonished when I see Facebook icon or direct mention but I usually see alternatives for Reddit/Discord/Twitter more mentioned, has anyone here used Facebook? Mastodon doesn’t have events calendar nor communities or “pages”/alternative profiles to use for branding without needing separate account unless I haven’t explored it enough then I’m sorry
has anyone here used Facebook? Mastodon doesn’t have events calendar nor communities or “pages”/alternative prof
That might be because Mastodon is not intended to have that role as a “Facebook alternative”? It’s more of a Twitter alternative IIRC. For calendar, vents and stuff like that there’s Friendica, although no idea if there is such thing as alternate profiles.
someone else just mentioned to me in another community about Friendica as well and it does have something similar to “pages” and many of these things I mention, thanks!
