Many people want to replace their Ring doorbell cameras with something less evil that isn't surveilling you and your neighbors to feed data to ICE and cops.

This won't work for every situation, but perhaps you could get away with a low-tech device invented by Benjamin Franklin, called the busybody:

https://kilianhardware.com/franklin-busybody/

It's just some mirrors outside your 2nd-floor window that can be positioned to show you who is at your door.

Franklin Busybody™

Franklin Busybody™ uses 3 mirrors to let you see the street below from a second-floor window. Based on a Benjamin Franklin design.

Kilian Hardware
@skyfaller I take the lowest tech approach of all. If I'm expecting somebody I sit near the door to open it. If I'm not, I ignore the doorbell.