Automating our lights, security cameras, all the Things? We'll be needing some IoT Gadgets and a home automation system.
“Which brand? Amazon Alexa or Google or Apple HomeKit?”
NO! Big Tech makes technology that best serves Big Tech. We don't have to accept it, once we learn there's an alternative.
Time I Learned: our smart home can respect our freedom.
“What's it to be: Android or iPhone?”
Actually, NO! There is another way.
Time I Learned: there are freedom-respecting phones.
I'll tell you which one you need.
This is my POSSE copy of the announcement posted in This Week in Matrix (TWIM) 2022-07-08.
I have created an installation role to add the UnifiedPush-compatible push-notification server “ntfy” to the popular Matrix server installer system “matrix-docker-ansible-deploy”.
This Ansible role named “matrix-ntfy” lets a Matrix server operator offer self-hosted Google-less push notifications for their users.
This is an informal summary of my recent (2016 ~ 2023) experience and explorations in the areas of Matrix and Android and self-hosting. For my employment history please see my more formal CV/resumé at https://blog.foad.me.uk/cv/.
for secure location sharing with Matrix
I set up my own OpenStreetMap tiles server for use with matrix location sharing.
This guide explains how I did it, including the Ansible role scripts I wrote.
Problem: Android users can't receive push notifications from most services except through Google.
Solution: UnifiedPush
Bitwarden is a decent modern password manager. While it is available as a cheap hosted service like many other password managers, the awesome thing about Bitwarden is it is commercially developed as open source software that optionally can be self-hosted. The perfect combination. Hurray!
This Diary app for android, by Bill Farmer, has made it a pleasure to keep a diary of short observations. I wasn't a diary writer until I installed it about two years ago and now I have been using it nearly every day, ever since.
Organic Maps is a great open source app for casual every-day navigation. It has an easy-to-read map display, navigation directions with voice, search for places, save favourite places and add new places, and not a lot else. The usability is decent and it looks good.
It's become my default mapping app, and it makes me ever so happy to have such a good open-source solution.