Will I succeed in switching to the ‘nicer’ internet? Why I’m taking the ’30 Day FOSS Challenge’

A lot of the apps we use are either costly, restrictive or use our data in ways we don’t always like. That’s why this month (April 2024) I’m taking a challenge to explore and use alternatives.

Is a ‘better’ or ‘more ethical’ digital life really possible?

The Firefox logo. Firefox, a web browser, is one of the best-known pieces of FOSS software.

If you’re not familiar with the concept of ‘Free and Open Source’ software then maybe you’ve heard of Firefox, Wikipedia, or Signal. These are, if you like, the equivalent of choosing home-grown, free range and organic food but in digital form.

While I know a bit about this stuff, I am definitely on the lower slopes of the learning curve. So this month I’m challenging myself to climb a bit higher, hopefully with your help.

If you want a fuller explanation, check out this guide from Nix, who gave me the idea to take part.

Why am I taking part?

A lot of my online life revolves around mainstream websites and software that don’t feel fully geared around what I want.

Social media platforms push content based on algorithms, instead of just showing me posts from people I want to follow. They also show ads. I used to buy software and happily use it for years with no further cost, but now I’m nudged into subscriptions. And what’s happening to all that data I put in?

On the flip side, I’m attracted to the idea that FOSS is better for all of us, and for the world. It means we can all afford to be online and we can work together – it makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

Lastly, I know I’m a novice. I want to understand this stuff better. I’m curious about how it all works and what the potential is.

Where I am now

My profile page on toot.wales – part of the Mastodon network, a social media platform.

I use loads of websites and apps and not that many are FOSS. It’s easier to list some of the ones I already use:

• Mastodon: This is social media, a bit like X, but I prefer it and have switched to it for micro-blogging. It’s full of lovely people and interesting stuff.
• Firefox: this is a web browser. I recently switched to using it instead of Chrome.
• Signal: this is quite similar to Whatsapp. I use it occasionally, alongside other messaging apps.
• LibreOffice: this contains word processor, spreadsheet etc like Microsoft Office. I’ve used it occasionally.
• Organic Maps: my latest FOSS app and I quite like it so far.

What am I hoping to achieve?

This is a massive area and I know I’m not going to do a huge amount in just one month.

I’m therefore going to prioritise some ‘low hanging fruit’.

First, some considerations:

• Work: I’m not going to focus much on changing the software I use professionally this time. It feels like too big a task and I’d rather try things out in a small way first.
• Other people: Some changes will rely heavily on how other people behave if they’re to be a success. For instance, if I stop using WhatsApp then I immediately cut myself out of some groups that I use to organise my life. So I’ll limit changes here too.
• Time and commitment: During the month, I think I’ll be trialling stuff more than ‘switching’ entirely. Where I can, I’ll experiment with swapping apps but I won’t treat it like a permanent change.
• Confidence and ability: I’m going to start small because I’m still learning. I don’t see myself setting up self-hosted solutions, for example.

Organic Maps – can this FOSS app become my main way of planning routes and finding places?

So with all that considered, these are some areas where I think I can learn and benefit most:

1. Doing more with what I’ve started using: So far I’ve dabbled with some of these apps – so can I push it further? One example is Organic Maps and whether I can use it as my only mapping app.
2. News and entertainment: This feels like a potentially ‘easy win’ – I can test out FOSS alternatives for things like listening to music and podcasts, following news updates and playing games.
3. Organising my personal life: Note taking, calendars etc.
4. Messaging and social networking: trialling some new platforms and cutting my use of non-FOSS apps.

Next steps

So week one of April 2024 is nearly over as I write this – a bit of a slow start! But at least I’ve written this blog and it’s helped me plan how to use the month.

Let me know in the comments, or on Mastodon, if you have any comments or suggestions. I’ll aim to blog an update on how it’s going next week.