No, thank you.

Tales of opting out of billionaire control

This has been on my mind for months now. Even before Donald Trump won his second term, I have been looking for alternatives to platforms controlled by billionaires. I come from a time when software was written to help, and when updates brought improvements, not regressions. Seeing big tech gleefully fall in behind Trump's fascist messaging has merely accelerated this project, and I thought maybe I'd document it in case anything I do can be helpful to you.

What are the rules? Companies who donated significantly to Trump's inauguration fund are on the list, along with companies who have rolled back DEI policies, excused, permitted or broadcast hate speech, or espoused discriminatory philosophies.

Here's what I'm planning to replace. This list will probably evolve as I remember things.

🔴 = highest priority; 🟡 = medium priority; 🔵= low priority.

Software

  • Windows Server (on my home server) 🟡
    • This runs Active Directory, primarily because I used to develop software for it, but also for the convenience of centralised credentials.
  • Microsoft Windows 🔵
    • For various reasons (including my day job), it may never be possible to replace fully.
  • Google Chrome ✔️ (moved to Vivaldi. Does that count?)
  • Android 🟡

Services

I am intending to move as much as I can away from providers in the US. While I don't think things like LetsEncrypt are bad, I want to keep as much of my digital existence out of the US as possible.

  • Facebook (I have some important groups here. Right now my account is deactivated, but I will need to go back) 🔴
  • Facebook Messenger ✔️ (replaced with Signal)
  • Instagram (I have significant investment here with a lot of contacts I need to figure out how to keep in touch with) 🔴
  • Threads ✔️ (moved to Mastodon)
  • WhatsApp 🔴
  • Microsoft 365 🟡
    • Office
    • OneDrive
    • Email
    • Teams
  • Microsoft Azure 🟡 (I've begun migration to Scaleway)
    • DNS Zones
    • Storage Accounts
  • Domains 🔵
  • GitHub 🟡
  • LetsEncrypt 🔵
  • Amazon Prime 🔴
  • Kindle Direct Publishing 🔵 (for now, this is a necessary evil as it's where the readers are)
  • Google Maps 🟡
    • Google Location History (my plan is to code something myself to take over here)

Projects

  • .NET 🔵 (Not too concerned as it's open source)
  • SQL Server 🟡 (I've started migrating to MariaDB where possible)
  • Entity Framework 🔵 (again, open source)