We are told the ‘Cloud’ is the future. We are told that ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS) is convenient. But for a Textsmith, the Cloud is just a rented pasture. If the owner closes the gate or the network flickers on a rainy Thursday in Harare, you are locked out of your own workshop.
The Landlord’s Terms
When you store your life’s work in a proprietary cloud service, you are subject to:
- Subscription Chained: Stop paying, and you lose your tools.
- Format Ransom: Your data is stored in a way only they can read.
- Privacy Tolls: Your data is the product they sell to advertisers.
Building Your Own Roof
Digital Sovereignty means owning the stack. By using a VPS, self-hosting your mail, and keeping your files in plaintext, you are no longer a tenant. You are the master of your own domain.
The rainy weather reminds us: it’s better to own a small, sturdy hut than to rent a room in a glass palace.
Forged in the terminal. Refined under the anvil.