Never Post Don’t Do It Yourself
Dec 3, 2025
In a fascinating discussion with Drew Leighton, a software engineer and blogger passionate about self-hosting, they dive into the complexities of building a home cloud server. Drew shares his frustrations with digital content ownership after a Kindle change prompted him to regain control by creating his own infrastructure. He explores open-source tools, the nuances of maintaining a personal server, and his vision for community-hosted public cloud services. Together, they reflect on the potential for a more communal and trustworthy internet.
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Cloud Is Physical Infrastructure
- The cloud is physically a network of data-center computers, not an abstract benevolent service.
- That abstraction lets developers ignore hardware but concentrates control in corporations.
Realizing Ownership Was An Illusion
- Drew realized he owned nothing because subscriptions replaced ownership for books and media.
- That prompted him to reclaim control by exploring self-hosting and backups.
Try Self-Hosting If You Have Skills
- Explore the self-hosted community and open-source alternatives if you want more control over your data.
- Use self-hosting tools to replace commercial cloud services when you have technical skill and time.
