diff --git a/blog/2019-01-23-experiments-in-owning-data:-software.markdown b/blog/2019-01-23-experiments-in-owning-data:-software.markdown new file mode 100644 index 0000000..84813f6 --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/2019-01-23-experiments-in-owning-data:-software.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,79 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: "Experiments In Owning Data: Part 2" +date: 2019-01-23 +comments: true +categories: + - freebsd + - nextcloud + - data +--- + +_[Checkout part 1](/blog/2019/01/20/experiments-in-owning-data/index.html)_ + +I wanted the setup to have as much less friction as possible, more time +maintaining systems and uploading data is less time for things that I actually +enjoy. Luckily a lot of open source tooling exists to help in this space, some +mature, some not so much. + +I stumbled upon these two apps during this experiment and they have become my +daily drivers of sort - + +### Nextcloud + +[Nextcloud](https://nextcloud.com/) is your one-stop cloud storage app. The core +of nextcloud is a file storage server with a web interface, easy enough right? +True to the open source nature it is heavily [extendable with apps (more like +plugins)](https://apps.nextcloud.com/) - and there is an app for everything! +hosting calendars, editing office docs, taking markdown notes and even video +calling. + +Nextcloud comes with companion mobile apps for Android and iOS. The apps let you +access and upload data to the nextcloud server. They can also automatically +backup new photos to nextcloud! Loosing a device never means loosing photos. + +The server also exposes a [webdav](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebDAV) +interface, so one can just mount it as a folder with +[davfs](https://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/davfs2) over fuse. Webdav is not +known for being very performant, but I like the simplicity of it and works well for my day today needs where I just need to work on a couple of small files. + +Nextcloud has replaced Google Drive/Photos for me. The whole process is not +without pains. Documentation exists and is helpful, but sometimes falls short. +I am yet to figure out how to setup +[Collabora](https://nextcloud.com/collaboraonline/) (online office suite). + +### Tiddlywiki + +[Tiddlywiki](https://tiddlywiki.com/) claims itself to be a non-linear personal +notebook. That's quite vague, because it depends entierly on the user. I use it +to store tiny bits of notes, lists, code etc. I have managed to move everything +from evernote to tiddlywiki with the exporter plugin. Formatting of exported +notes is not great, but the content is fine - and that's all I care. + + +## Current and Future +I have been running this for almost an year now, other than nextcloud and +tiddlywiki, the server also runs an email server (not my primary one yet), code +repo and a CI setup. + +Where to now? I am obviously missing out on features, and I had to spent more +time setting it up than signing up for a service. But the setup is tailored to +my use and so far I am happy with it. + +That is not to say I think its perfect - I have a wishlist! + +### 1. Better photos interface and search +I miss the fast and accurate photos search on google photos, and the current +nextcloud photos interface is slow and only has file system hierarchy as a +grouping mechanism. Maybe I can [inception-v3](https://arxiv.org/abs/1512.00567) +or any other similiar image classification models and build an auto tagging +system? + +### 2. Disaster proof backups +Current backup system is quite rudimentary, it copys data every day to another +server in the same datacenter (also on `raid1`). Its not great if the DC itself goes +under - I would like something offsite, and also to backup server configs. + +Well, that's about it for now. :-) I do have a question to the reader: do you +know any applications in this space that I should know about? please let me know over +[twitter](https://twitter.com/notmycommit) or [email](mailto:mail@dbalan.in).