CIRCLE WITH A DOT

The Browser Manifesto: Why Your "Smart" Browser is a Security Nightmare As a system analyst, I’m obsessed with the tools that mediate my contact with the web. After auditing dozens of setups, here is my no-nonsense report for 2026:1. The Undisputed King: Firefox + BetterfoxMy main driver is, and remains, Firefox with a custom Betterfox config. It’s the only setup that gives me absolute control. No other browser allows this level of "under-the-hood" hardening.2. The Worthy Successor: Zen BrowserOn the second place, and my favorite "modern" take, is Zen. It's the only fork I actually trust. Why? Because its default preferences are already built on Betterfox logic. It's the aesthetics of the future with the privacy of a hardened Gecko engine.3. The "Clean" Chromium: HeliumI avoid Brave due to the crypto-bloat. Helium is the "Chrome we actually deserved." Stripped-down, fast, and telemetry-free. It’s my choice for the 5% of the web that still refuses to work properly on Gecko.4. The "Arc" Red FlagI uninstalled Arc the second it demanded an email just to launch. A browser asking for a permanent ID before showing a single pixel is a data-harvesting machine in disguise. It's not a tool; it's a leash.5. The AI Garbage Fire & Cognitive Decay"AI-integrated" browsers are a disaster. Using AI to summarize a video after watching it is a tool. Asking an AI to "write my emails" or "manage my life" is a crutch.- If you delegate basic digital agency to an algorithm, you aren't just giving away data—you are letting your own critical thinking atrophy.- If you can't perform simple tasks yourself, you're just a passenger in your own OS.The Verdict: Hardened Firefox is the only way to keep "root access" to your mind. Everything else is either a compromise or a trap.What’s your setup? Are you still on the "Pure Firefox" hill, or have you found a fork that actually respects your sovereignty?#Browsers #Privacy #Firefox #Betterfox #ZenBrowser #Helium #Infosec #CyberSecurity #DeGoogle #SelfHosted

@paranormal_distribution@fosstodon.org That’s a massive move, congrats on cutting the cord with Google. Which provider did you pick? I'm still tied to the Gmail for now, so I’m curious what tipped the scales for you.

From Obsidian to SiYuan: Why Your Homelab Needs a Database, Not Just Notes As a system analyst, I’ve always been obsessed with structuring chaos. For years, Obsidian was my go-to "Second Brain." It’s powerful, but as my Homelab expanded, I realized I didn't just need notes — I needed a living documentation engine that I could access via web from any device in my network.I’ve tested the whole spectrum: Docmost, Trillium, and AFFiNE.- AFFiNE is beautiful (Notion + Miro vibes), but its "infinite canvas" often leads to visual chaos. It's great for sketching a network topology, but terrible when you need to find a specific CLI command via Ctrl+F.- SiYuan changed the game for me. It’s currently at the heart of my local stack.Why SiYuan is the "Final Boss" of Self-Hosted Note-taking:1. Block-Level Granularity (JSON Power): 🧩Unlike standard Markdown, SiYuan assigns a unique ID to every single paragraph and list item. This allows for transclusion—you can pull a specific VPN setup instruction into five different guides, and when you update the original, it updates everywhere.2. The SQL Killer-Feature: This is where it turns into a professional CMDB (Configuration Management Database). I don't manually track my 50+ Docker containers in a table. I just add custom attributes to my service notes:custom-ip: 192.168.1.10custom-port: 8080Then, I use a native SQL query on my Dashboard to automatically generate a real-time "Service Matrix." If I change a port in a note, the master table updates itself. No more IP conflicts.3. Performance & Sovereignty: ️- Resource Efficiency: While AFFiNE is a bit of a resource hog, SiYuan is incredibly light, idling at just 31MB in my Docker container.- No Vendor-Lock: Even though it uses .sy (JSON) files for its advanced logic, the export to Markdown is flawless and can be automated via Kernel API.The Verdict:If you have 3-4 services, stick to Obsidian. But if you’re running a Proxmox cluster with complex networking, you need a tool that speaks SQL.Don't let your documentation become legacy hardware. Give it a database-driven brain.What about you? Are you a "pure Markdown" purist, or have you embraced the power of block-based databases like SiYuan or Notion? How do you track your Homelab inventory?#SelfHosted #Homelab #SiYuan #Obsidian #KnowledgeManagement #SQL #SysAdmin #Documentation #TechStack #Privacy #OpenSource

The Command Center: Performance & Precision ️As a system analyst, my environment is split between raw power for computation and fluid efficiency for development. After years of fine-tuning, here is the current state of my workstation.The Powerhouse (PC)- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D — the undisputed king.- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti.- RAM: 32GB DDR5.- Input: Luminkey Magger 68 HE Pro. Magnetic switches are a revelation — zero accidental presses even with a low actuation point, and surprisingly good for typing.- Audio: Truthear x Crinacle Zero Blue. Switched to IEMs for PC use because the sound positioning in games is incredible. For music, they don't beat the AirPods, but for everything else, they are solid. Powered by GoXLR Mini.The Productivity Hub (Mac)- Device: MacBook Pro M4 Pro (24GB RAM).- Input: Rainy 75 + MX Master 3S. The Rainy 75 is here for one reason: the typing experience. The sound is just addictive for coding and documentation.- Wait until you see the modded NuPhy Node 75 I have coming in — that's a story for a separate post. ️The Triple Monitor Grid- Main: Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 (27").- Vertical: Samsung Odyssey G5 (27") — for Discord, documentation, and terminal windows.- Top: MSI MAG 342CQR E2 (34" Ultrawide) — my "everything else" dashboard.Currently diving into Go on the Mac while keeping my Misskey feed active on the OLED. It’s a setup built for flow, where every tool has its purpose.---What’s your setup philosophy? Do you prefer a single massive screen or a multi-monitor layout like mine? And for the keyboard nerds — magnetic or mechanical for your daily driver?Show off your workstations in the replies! ​​#Setup #Workstation #SystemAnalyst #9950X3D #SamsungOLED #MechanicalKeyboard #MacBookM4Pro #HomeOffice #Tech #IEM

@lily@social.whytheyfight.com That’s a fair point. To me, this is the absolute baseline that should be integrated into every OS.Taping over cameras on a smartphone isn't exactly a solution, though it’s still somewhat acceptable for a laptop. Even with the hardware indicators on my MacBook Pro, having that granular software-level control on GrapheneOS just feels much more robust. It's about having that peace of mind knowing the hardware is actually dormant when you're not using it.

@thomas@friendica.tomforge.de Thanks for the heads-up! I’ve seen OpenCloud mentioned a few times. Adding it to my "to-test" backlog for when I finally have some breathing room. Right now, Cloudreve is doing the heavy lifting, but I’m always down to benchmark a leaner alternative.

Steam Deck: Healing my inner child (and my inner Linux nerd) I bought my Steam Deck OLED (512GB) in late 2024, and it’s been a journey. From AAA titles to indie gems like Dave the Diver, this little Linux machine has been through it all.Why Steam Deck?As a Linux enthusiast, the choice was obvious. An Arch-based handheld? Yes, please. I couldn’t bring myself to buy a Windows-based console (Lenovo or Ally) — it just felt... wrong. Having my entire Steam library on a device that feels native to my workflow was the main selling point.The Reality Check- Performance: I even hooked it up to my 2K monitor just to see what it’s capable of. For a handheld, the results are solid.- Customization: Decky was a Day 1 install. Even if I'm not swapping the SSD yet, I need that extra layer of control over the system.- Playtime: Have I finished dozens of games? Honestly, no. Life and work as a system analyst take up most of my time.But that’s not why I bought it. I still remember playing Forza Horizon 4 on a long train ride, and that feeling was priceless.The "Why":It reminds me of my school days with a PS Vita in my backpack. Buying the Deck was about satisfying that inner kid who missed handheld gaming. Even if it sits on the shelf sometimes, I don’t regret it. It’s there for when that "inner gamer" finally wakes up again.What about you? Do you have a piece of tech that you bought more for "the vibe" or nostalgia rather than daily productivity? Or maybe you're also rocking a Deck — what's your must-have plugin?#SteamDeck #OLED #SteamOS #LinuxGaming #Handheld #Nostalgia #ArchLinux

The Era of Autonomous AI Hackers is Here: Meet Shannon ️As a systems analyst, I'm always tracking where AppSec is heading. We’re moving away from static scanners toward autonomous agents that "think" like red-teamers.Shannon is a prime example. It’s an AI agent by Keygraph that doesn't just flag "potential issues" — it finds and executes actual exploits without any human hints.Why it’s impressive:- 96.15% Success Rate: Achieved on the hint-free XBOW Benchmark (white-box mode).- Behavioral Analysis: It maps data flows and builds attack hypotheses instead of just matching patterns.- Proof-of-Exploit: If it reports a bug, it provides a reproducible PoC. No more wasting time on false positives.- Modern Stack: Handles complex OAuth flows, 2FA, and can be integrated into CI/CD via Docker.My Take: For those of us in DevOps/Self-hosting, this is a double-edged sword. While it’s a godsend for daily automated pentesting, it also means the "script kiddies" of tomorrow will be replaced by AI agents that don't sleep and scale infinitely.Source: github.com/KeygraphHQ/shannonVia: LinuxKalii#Infosec #AppSec #AI #CyberSecurity #OpenSource #RedTeaming

Filling the Void: My GrapheneOS App Stack & WorkflowWhen you first boot GrapheneOS, the silence is deafening. No bloat, no noise. To fill this gap, I’ve built a setup focused on Open Source and Self-hosting.Coming from a lifetime of Apple products, I’m more than satisfied with how this experiment is turning out. Here is how I solved the "emptiness":The Essentials- App Management: Obtainium (tracking updates directly from source).- Photos & Camera: Stock Pixel apps, but with network access revoked.- Photo Backups: Immich. It syncs automatically to my home server whenever I'm on my local Wi-Fi.- Keyboard: FUTO Keyboard. Surprisingly polished, easily matches the stock experience.Communication & Data- Mail: K-9 Mail (for Gmail) + native Proton & Tuta apps.- Messengers: Matrix (Element X) and Telegram (via Nekogram fork).- Passwords: Bitwarden connected to my self-hosted Vaultwarden instance.- News: Read You (RSS)- AI: Conduit for my OpenWebUI instance.Productivity & Quality of Life- Weather: Breezy Weather.- Digital Wellbeing: I use StayFree.- Sleep mode: Since GrapheneOS lacks a native "Sleep Mode," I've configured a DND schedule combined with a Color Correction shortcut to toggle grayscale mode manually.The Verdict: As a long-time iOS user, I’m impressed. The system is snappy, stable, and most importantly — it’s mine.#grapheneos #opensource #android #privacy #immich #vaultwarden #selfhosting

@tomjennings@tldr.nettime.org Exactly. It’s not about being a "hacker" or playing 007 . It’s simply an OS for people who want to decide for themselves what content to consume and when. No algorithms, no data harvesting — just pure freedom.That’s a fair point regarding paranoia. If anonymity is the goal, you have to be paranoid; a single slip-up and your entire OpSec crumbles.But for me, it’s not about anonymity—it’s about basic data hygiene. People often say, "I have nothing to hide, let them watch," but it's not about hiding, it's about data sovereignty. It’s like watching a complete stranger rummage through your laundry and saying, "It’s fine, I have nothing to hide in there."

Hi there! I’m a System Analyst who took the long road here, starting in Development and moving through QA. This background helps me see the full picture when I’m analyzing systems today.For the past year, I’ve been deeply focused on: Open Source — exploring the ecosystem and contributing where I can. ♾️ DevOps — learning the art of automation and infrastructure. ️ Proxmox — my go-to for virtualization and experiments.What you’ll find here:I’ll mainly be posting my daily thoughts, technical notes, and whatever I’m currently testing. Also, expect some music drops — my playlist is a wild mix, ranging from Brazilian Phonk to Japanese tracks.I’m here to own my data and share my journey. If you're into tech or just want to exchange some music, feel free to say hi!#introduction #fediadmin #devops #systemanalyst #opensource #proxmox #selfhosted

CW: AI Experiments / Personality Cloning I’ve been playing "Black Mirror" in my home lab! I built an AI agent that clones a friend’s personality using n8n and 5 years of Telegram chat history.️ The Stack: n8n (Self-hosted) + OpenRouter + Telegram API.The Process:1. Data Cleaning: Used Claude Sonnet 3.5 to scrub 10k+ messages, keeping only the "target" voice.2. Profiling: Had gpt-4 analyze the clean data to extract speech patterns: sarcasm levels, emoji frequency, and "signature" phrases.3. The Logic: Built a workflow where the personality profile is injected into the system prompt.The Model Showdown:- Claude Haiku 4.5: 4/5. Perfect balance of speed and vibe. Closest to my friend’s natural flow.- OpenAI GPT 4.1 Mini: 3/5. Efficient for data tasks, but felt a bit "robotic" for deep conversation.- Claude Sonnet 3.5: 5/5. Surprisingly aggressive! It actually threatened to end the chat over a bad joke — spooky how much personality it injected.It's wild how well it works. It doesn't just answer questions; it answers them exactly like him.Have any of you experimented with personality replication? Which 2026 models are you finding best for "vibe" rather than just logic?#n8n #SelfHosted #AI #LLM #ClaudeAI #DigitalTwin #OpenRouter #Fediverse #Automation