Terence Eden

🆕 blog! “Self Hosting is an Unhelpful Term”

Mathew Duggan has a brilliant post called "Self-Hosting Isn't a Solution; It's A Patch". In it, he (correctly and convincingly) argues that compelling people to run their own computer services is a complex and distracting crutch for the current problems we face. It's expensive to self-host, there are moderation pro…

👀 Read more: https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2024/11/self-hosting-is-an-unhelpful-term/
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#fediverse #ReDeCentralize #SocialNetworks

Self Hosting is an Unhelpful Term

Mathew Duggan has a brilliant post called "Self-Hosting Isn't a Solution; It's A Patch". In it, he (correctly and convincingly) argues that compelling people to run their own computer services is a complex and distracting crutch for the current problems we face. It's expensive to self-host, there are moderation problems, and the difficulty level is […]

Terence Eden’s Blog
Nov 24, 2024 at 12:35pmShare on Mastodon
Show threadErnie SmithNov 24, 2024

@Edent IMHO Docker front ends make the difficulty of self hosting even in the traditional oil changing sense a lot easier.

That said I think your comparison to defund the police is apt.

Show threadErnie SmithNov 24, 2024
@Edent also think it does pay for itself if it replaces certain SaaS applications. Stuff like Trello comes to mind.
Show threadEliot LearNov 24, 2024
@Edent 100% agree. I spend a good $1,500 per year to "self host" my own web and mail servers, plus I have *most* of the technical acumen to do the job. Does it actually buy me privacy? I certainly wouldn't be the farm. Also, I have my server in a data center. To do otherwise would require quite a bit more money for a "business service". And let's not start about reputation, break-in risks, disk failures, etc.
Show threadAndreas KNov 24, 2024

@eliotlear @Edent Let's be honest, the reality of it, if you switch from "free ad driven, and certainly not private" services to stuff that you pay for, it suddenly adds up. Here a bit for your notes taking app so it can sync, there a bit of blogging, some cloud storage, some photo management …

Each of these wanting €50-100/year. Multiply n times for n persons in your family.

And suddenly the $1500 does not sound that bad.
Ok, I'm lucky, I've got a stable IPv4 cable modem as a consumer ;)

Show threadAndreas KNov 24, 2024

@eliotlear @Edent
The only thing that I'm not willing to do is email, and that I've found ironically is either quite expensive (often in the €5-7/inbox/month range, seldom in the $1-2/inbox) if sold as an email service, or a freebie when if comes with a shared web hosting plan, sigh.

So I'm currently scratching my head between going with a small ISP that is professional enough to have web tools, or an acquaintance who runs it as a 2 men operation locally.

Show threadShaun McDonaldNov 24, 2024
@yacc143 @eliotlear @Edent https://www.mythic-beasts.com/hosting the email cost allows unlimited inboxes for the same domain in their low cost which might help. @beasts
Hosting - Shell Accounts - UK-based - Mythic Beasts

Shell accounts, web hosting, and email - UK-based.

Show threadTroed SångbergNov 24, 2024
@Edent Self-hosting is not expensive. It's like changing your own tyres though - not for everyone.
Show threadGeorge LundNov 24, 2024
@Edent I see what you're saying but I think the affordance people need is "portability". I'd describe that as portability across a sliding scale of options, where different people will describe options on that scale as "self hosting" or not. "Managed hosting" and "SaaS" are also places on that scale.
Show threadRoyce WilliamsNov 24, 2024

@georgelund

Concur here. Put another way: if we don't call it "self hosting" ... what should we be calling "put the functionality on your own Pi or VPS" ?

@Edent

Show threadBrick DuckNov 25, 2024
@georgelund @Edent I agree - the term is sufficient, it means "a service you host yourself" and that can be in your cupboard or a VPS somewhere.
The portability really is the key. Over the years I've switched blogging platforms several times and never lost any content because I could always convert the previous format into the new format.
Show threadKrisNov 24, 2024
@Edent I don't really disagree, but to add some nuance: literal self-hosting plants the seeds for user-owned cooperatives running services, which is IMHO the only way projects like the Fediverse can hope to scale to much more than the current number of MAUs. Sure, it can also be done to some extend on ever growing commercial hosting services, but you quite quickly reach a point where that is just not very cost effective compared to running your own second-hand server in a co-location center or a good home fiber connection.