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Click Here to jump straight to my recommendation. There’s a decent chance you’re reading this post on one of three web browsers: if you’re an Apple user, you’re probably on Safari; if you’re on your Windows PC, you might be using Edge; but, most likely, you’re on Chrome. If that’s true, I think you should switch to something else. Here’s a few reasons why: 1. Monopolistic Practices Make the World and the Internet a Worse Place You might like the game Monopoly, but it’s worth noting that monopolies in the real world aren’t great....

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Free/Libre Open Source Software. With rare exception, all the software I run on my computer is Open Source (Brave, Bitwarden, to name a couple highly valuable and accessible favorites). Similarly, when I help friends and loved ones setup a new digital device, I always try to encourage them towards the free/libre and open source version of a given product, instead of the closed source versions they are normally used to....

I’m not a big fan of WhatsApp. While it does indeed work well as a messaging app, it also feeds into Facebook/Meta’s technological hegemony, isn’t open source, tracks who you message and what you do on your phone, and does some other creepy stuff that I’m not a fan of. But, WhatsApp is also currently the most popular messaging platform in the world, 1 and a majority of people I contact regularly are only reachable through there....

Lately, every time someone shows me a YouTube video on their computer or phone, I find myself freaking out just a little. The ads, the list of recommended videos, the endless comments… there’s just so much going on on the screen, and I find myself easily distracted and maybe a bit overwhelmed. In contrast, if you watch a YouTube video on my laptop, you’ll find it to be a much different experience....

Lately I feel like I’ve come to a place with internet and tech usage that I’m really liking, where I’ve been able to derive great value from what the internet has to offer, while being better at protecting myself from some of its more poisonous elements. Here are a few tools/tips that I’ve found helpful for coming to that place, which I think anyone who uses the internet could benefit from:...

TL;DR: You need a password manager to use the internet safely and efficiently today. I use and recommend Bitwarden. In 2020 there were nearly 8 Billion online accounts compromised by hackers.1 Statistically speaking, at least one of your accounts was probably in that list. Several of mine were. When a hacker compromises an online account, many times the email addresses and passwords of those accounts are among the compromised content. Because many people re-use the same email address and password in many places, when a hacker gets a hold of a user’s username and password, it is super easy for them to take that username and password and start trying that combination on other online accounts… Like your email, your work accounts, your bank, or other valuable or sensitive accounts....

Update — September 2022: Technology apparently changes FAST. Many specific tips and techniques in this guide have become out dated since I first wrote it in 2020. İf there is something here you’ve tried that’s not working, message me about what you’re wanting to do, and I’ll be glad to help… And maybe I’ll update that section of the guide at the same time. 😅 “The sugar high of convenience is fleeting and the sting of missing out dulls rapidly, but the meaningful glow that comes from taking charge of what claims your time and attention is something that persists.” ~ Cal Newport In my last post I highlighted a few reasons (among many, many more) that I’ve decided it’s time to say “Baby, bye bye bye” to Facebook and my other social media accounts. (If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend reading it before reading this one. Last post gave the why for what I’m doing. This post goes really deep into the details on the what and the how). ...