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Leonieke .:. Vitaulium

Step By Step

/ 5 min read

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Table of Contents

Slowly but surely … that’s the key, isn’t it?

Update

I am still dependent on some BigTech services/devices, but step by step I am moving away from BitTech towards self-hosted or indepently hosted services.

  • Socials? Hello GoToSocial! Done.
  • Ebooks? Done.
    • Ebook reader? Newly done! (More below)
  • Audiobooks? Newly done! (More below)
  • Music? Newly Done! (More below)
  • Email? Still via Proton, I am not looking forward to having to set up my own email server.
  • Docs? Done.
  • Photos? Sort of almost done.1
  • Messages? Damn Whatsapp, I cannot get rid of you.

Overview

Adjusted the table, mostly for my own overview. (Copied from All about Taking Control)

Service Big Tech Alternative Status Self hosted
Audiobooks Audible Libro.fm + Audiobookshelf own server, via yunohost yes
Ebooks Proton Drive Local Books store + Calibre Web own server, via yunohost yes
Files Google Docs ProtonDrive + NextCloud (Shared Storage Hetzner) main files/folders transferred, ebooks remaining yes
Kindle Amazon Pocketbook + Calibre Web Purchase ebooks via my local bookstore, add via Calibre/Calibre Web yes
Location Google Maps μlogger own server, via yunohost testing
Maps Google Maps OSMAnd transferred saved locations yes
Mail Gmail ProtonMail2 automated forwarding, not yet fully transferred no
Messages WhatsApp Signal slow going, need to convince others no
Microblogging Twitter GoToSocial own server, via yunohost yes
Music Youtube Music Funkwhale own server, via yunohost almost done
Notes Google Notes NextCloud Notes Hetzner, shared storage yes
Photos, backup Google Photos Immich new mobile photos backed up, waiting for Google Takeout of all photos yes
Photos, editing Adobe Photoshop/Lightroom Darktable + Gimp cancelled subscriptions, removed software yes
Photos, hosted   Immich own server, via yunohost yes
Photos, incidental Instagram GoToSocial own server, via yunohost yes
Podcasts Pocket Casts Audiobookshelf own server, via yunohost yes
RSS reader   FreshRSS own server, via yunohost yes
Search Google Search DuckDuckGo / Mojeek / etc implemented n/a
Tasks Google Tasks NextCloud Tasks Hetzner, shared storage yes
Translate Google Translate LibreTranslate3 own server, via yunohost unsure
Uptime Uptime Robot Uptime Kuma4 own server, via yunohost unsure
Website(s) Gitlab Pages My Webapp own server, via yunohost yes

Audiobooks

Thanks to a tip, I have been able to cancel my Audible subscription in favor of a Libro FM subscription.5

Thanks to a tip from @neurovagrant, I have cancelled my audible subscription and I have created an account with libro.fm.

As I listen to audiobooks alsmost exclusively in English, any Dutch services do not cover my audio/listening needs and wishes.

To check if libro.fm was a good fit for me, I compared my wishlist at audible (currently at about 30 titles) with the libro.fm catalogue: apart from 1 title it was a complete fit.

Next up: copying over my wishlist from one to the other, check out the specific membership options (probably going for a 2 credit/month version again) and get ready to listen.

Biggest perk: you can Download Your Purchased Audio Books!
Second biggest perk: supporting an independent bookstore, unfortunately only in the USA at the moment.

Join me? https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm951239

#DeBigTechMyLife #LibroFM #AudioBooks

Music

With a 1-month subscription to TuneFab for YT Music, I managed to download all my own music from YoutubeMusic. I am still working on copying over my playlists and favorites. The biggest deal is that I want to own my purchased music again and I want to pay the artists in a more direct way. Most of them can be found on Bandcamp, but I am still unsure where I can puchase digital downloads for any classifical music.

Setting up and running a Funkwhale instance takes a bit of time, especially because I wanted to make sure that I do not broadcast any music files, but with a link to ListenBrainz I can share my playlists/currently playing music without stepping on some nasty copyright laws.

Ebooks

Over the past months, I have testing buying my ebooks from my local bookstore and converting the files into a format that I can use myself on my preferred devices.6 When I had that working, I looked into alternatives for Kindle readers and I received various tips for ebook readers.

I ended up choosing the PocketBook Verso Pro, because I found a nice deal for a barely used second hand reader. As I already kept all my books in Calibre and I have a selection of these books available to me in my own Calibre Web, it was quite easy to set up the new device.

Ik ben op zoek naar een nieuwe ereader: ik lees nu nog op een Kindle Paperwhite (v 10), maar ik wil minder afhankelijk worden van amazon.

Welke andere ereader zouden jullie aanraden? Of toch bij mijn paperwhite blijven (ben wel fan van dit scherm!)?

#FediTips #Ereaders

Footnotes

  1. I currently use Google Pixel as my main phone, it’s brand new(ish) at only 6 months old, so I want to keep using it for as long as I can, even though the new Fairphone looks very promising. ↩

  2. Proton Mail …. Sort of BigTech in a way, as was pointed out to me in a comment: it’s untransparent and not hosted by me. At least it’s not Meta or Google? ↩

  3. Not sure if I want to host my own translation site, or simply start using an indepent one. ↩

  4. I’m looking for another solution that is not running on the same server, because well … that doesn’t make sense, now does it? ↩

  5. Purchase a licence for OpenAudible to get your audiobooks out of Audible and onto your own disks/formats. ↩

  6. Unfortunately, not without Adobe DE interference, but at least I can support my local bookstore. ↩