NixOS defines your entire operating system in one configuration file: packages, services, settings, all declarative and reproducible, so a machine can be rebuilt exactly from that file. It solves the “works on my computer” problem for whole systems. The learning curve is a cliff, and the documentation assumes patience. For people who treat their computers […]
Jami is open-source calling and messaging that works peer-to-peer: no servers store your conversations because there is no central server, and accounts are cryptographic keys rather than phone numbers. GNU project, maintained for years. The network is small, connection times vary, and features trail the polished messengers. A genuine distributed alternative for people who measure […]
Conversations is the Android XMPP client that shows the old federated protocol still works: end-to-end encryption, voice notes and video calls, on any server you choose or the developer’s own. XMPP’s openness means you can always switch servers or apps. It is Android-only, and XMPP’s encryption between different server users has historically been patchier than […]
Debian is the community-run Linux distribution that much of the internet is built on: three decades of stability, a social contract that puts users first, and tens of thousands of packages with no telemetry anywhere. Ubuntu, Linux Mint and countless others descend from it. Stability means older software versions, and installation asks more questions than […]
O&O ShutUp10++ is a free German utility that exposes Windows’ roughly hundred telemetry, advertising and tracking settings in one list with plain-language explanations, and applies recommended defaults in one click. A system restore point is created automatically. Major Windows updates can quietly re-enable some settings, so rerun it after upgrades. Free of charge and free […]
addy.io, formerly AnonAddy, generates unlimited email aliases that forward to your real inbox, so every shop, service and newsletter gets a different address you can switch off when it misbehaves. Open source, with a transparent Monero-friendly payment option. Aliases are one-way protection: they hide your address but not your behavior, and reply flows take a […]
Your contacts list is a map of your entire social world, which makes it prime data for apps that hoover address books. EteSync syncs contacts between your devices through end-to-end encryption, so the contents stay between you and your devices. It is plumbing rather than an app, and setup means connecting it to your existing […]
Tuta’s calendar comes encrypted the same way as its mail: appointment titles, locations and details are unreadable to the server, and the free tier includes it. German jurisdiction, open-source apps, no ads anywhere. Sharing calendars with outside users is limited by the encryption model, and it works best inside the Tuta ecosystem. The most private […]
EteSync syncs calendars, contacts and tasks between your devices through end-to-end encryption, open source with published security audits, and a self-host option for people who want the server too. It is infrastructure rather than an app: you keep using your calendar program, EteSync just moves the data safely. Some calendar apps integrate more smoothly than […]
Radicale is a tiny open-source CalDAV and CardDAV server: a single Python process serving your calendars and contacts to all your devices from your own machine or server. No interface, no company, no data leaving your control. Setup is command-line territory, and every device needs manual configuration. The purist’s choice, and famously light on resources.
BellCrier breach check
Most people are, and never hear about it. BellCrier checks your email against known data breaches for free, then alerts you when it turns up in a new one, with exactly what leaked and how to fix it.
