Techlore Talks

Even with encryption and 2FA, if someone steals your logged-in laptop, you're compromised. Michael Altfield created Buskill - an open source USB "dead man switch" - to solve this analog attack vector. In this interview, you’ll hear about the real incidents that inspired it, the advocacy work that fueled it, and the collaborative engineering efforts that turned it into a practical tool for protecting sensitive data.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• https://tech.michaelaltfield.net/• https://buskill.in/• https://github.com/BusKillTimestamps:00:00:00 INTRO00:01:43 WHAT GOT YOU INTO SECURITY?00:02:32 WHEN DID YOU GET INTO SECURITY?00:03:31 WHAT IS A DEAD MAN SWITCH?00:04:33 WHY DID YOU DEVELOP BUSKILL?00:06:25 WHEN DID YOU START MAKING BUSKILL CABLES?00:06:42 HAS THE PRODUCT CHANGED SINCE THEN?00:07:42 WHO ELSE IS BUSKILL FOR?00:09:08 WHAT OPTIONS CAN BE TRIGGERED?00:10:53 IS IT POSSIBLE TO TRIGGER A FALSE OR ALTERNATIVE ENVIRONMENT?00:12:16 CAN YOU WIPE ON WINDOWS OR MACOS?00:13:40 LINUX INSTALL OPTIONS00:14:16 MACOS & WINDOWS INSTALL OPTIONS00:14:25 CAN THIS BE DONE ON MOBILE?00:16:39 REAL-WORLD BUSKILL EXAMPLES00:18:13 BUSKILL COMMUNITY00:19:17 BUSKILL + OPEN SOURCE00:19:44 STL FILES + 3D PRINTING00:20:38 IS IT GOOD TO CREATE IT YOURSELF?00:20:50 INTERDICTION00:21:42 EDWARD SNOWDEN ON INTERDICTION00:23:24 OTHER ACQUISITION METHODS00:25:13 NOVACUSTOM PARTNERSHIP00:26:00 BUSKILL + NICHE LINUX DISTROS00:26:57 QUBES DOM000:28:27 UBUNTU & TAILS00:30:02 DOES BUSKILL SUPPORT CHROMEBOOKS?00:31:19 GETTING INVOLVED IN PRIVACY + ADVOCACY00:33:05 HOW PRIVACY IS VIEWED WORLDWIDE00:36:55 PERSONAL CHALLENGES WITH PRIVACY00:39:11 GO-TO PRIVACY & SECURITY TIPS00:40:11 BUSKILL + SECURITY KEYS?00:43:06 SECURITY THROUGH OBSCURITY00:45:25 CLOUD-BASED PASSWORD MANAGERS00:46:09 LIVING WITHOUT A PHONE00:51:57 CAN IT GET WORSE?00:53:18 PROPRIETARY BROADBAND00:58:49 WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT NOVACUSTOM?01:00:56 OUTRO—Keep Techlore Independent:• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support

Ricardo Signes, Chief Engineer at Fastmail, explains why Gmail's email experience has become increasingly fragmented, and what it would take to actually fix the decades-old IMAP protocol that powers most of the internet. We dive deep into JMAP (the modern replacement Gmail won't adopt), privacy-by-design vs. encryption theater, and the hidden trade-offs between convenience and security that no one talks about. If you've noticed your email client feeling broken, this interview reveals why.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• Fastmail: https://fastmail.com• Fastmail Values Statement: https://fastmail.com/about/values• Cyrus IMAP/JMAP Server (open source): https://www.cyrusimap.org/• JMAP Standard (RFC 8620): https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8620• Web Push Standard (RFC 8030): https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8030• Signal (for encrypted messaging): https://signal.org• Fastmail Data Transparency Report: https://fastmail.com/about/transparencyTimestamps:0:00:00 INTRO00:01:36 WHAT DRAWS YOU TO FASTMAIL?00:03:29 FASTMAIL VALUES & PHILOSOPHY00:08:49 FASTMAIL TARGET USER00:12:43 LACK OF NATIVE E2EE00:16:16 WILL EMAIL EVER BE PRIVATE?00:18:23 FASTMAIL E2EE OPTIONS00:23:43 FASTMAIL CLIENT OPTIONS00:26:18 FASTMAIL INTEGRATIONS00:29:49 BEING GOOD INTERNET CITIZENS00:33:13 BAD INTERNET CITIZENS00:38:26 JMAP & OTHER EMAIL PROTOCOLS00:48:15 REAL-WORLD BENEFITS OF JMAP00:53:07 ISSUES WITH GMAIL ON IOS00:56:06 LACK OF E2EE FOR EMAIL WITH ADP00:57:29 DOES JMAP MAKE E2EE EASIER?01:00:43 FASTMAIL + OPEN SOURCE01:10:48 PROTECTIONS AGAINST BAD ACTORS01:14:46 PHONE NUMBER REQUIREMENTS01:22:55 AUSTRALIAN JURISDICTION01:25:55 THE FASTMAIL TEAM01:28:45 PRODUCTIVITY-FOCUSED EMAIL CLIENTS01:34:27 FASTMAIL + IMAP01:35:49 WHY THE NAME "FASTMAIL"?01:38:27 IS JMAP WHY FASTMAIL IS SO FAST?01:42:03 FASTMAIL'S IDEAL AVATAR + FUTURE PLANS01:46:25 HOW TO FOLLOW RICARDO + FASTMAIL01:48:03 OUTRO—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support

When you sign into Chrome, Google collects your entire browsing history to build behavioral profiles for targeted ads. In this interview, Firefox CTO Bobby Holley breaks down why Mozilla maintains Gecko as an independent engine, how Firefox approaches privacy differently from Google and Apple, and why the stakes for browser independence are higher than ever.Timestamps:00:00 INTRO01:24 CTO DAY IN THE LIFE03:34 STICKING WITH GECKO OVER CHROMIUM06:33 COMPETING ON PRIVACY09:06 PRIVACY IN FIREFOX21:03 INSPIRATION FROM THE TOR PROJECT22:57 WHAT USERS GAIN FROM FIREFOX26:56 THE BEST FIREFOX CONFIGURATION29:59 MANIFEST V2 VS. V3 + AD BLOCKING30:53 MAINTAINING MANIFEST V232:26 UBLOCK ORIGIN BY DEFAULT?33:46 FIREFOX'S APPROACH TO AI39:14 GECKO ON IOS?42:25 FEELINGS ABOUT THE DMA IN EUROPE43:53 WINDOWS DEFAULT BROWSER BEHAVIOR44:52 DMA ENGINE CHOICE PROVISIONS45:13 BEING THE DEFAULT BROWSER ON LINUX46:52 NEW THREATS TO PRIVACY50:33 HOW TO FOLLOW BOBBY & FIREFOX51:47 OUTRO—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support

In this Techlore Talks episode, I sit down with Jose Briones to explore whether dumb phones really offer better privacy and how digital minimalism can transform your relationship with technology. Jose breaks down practical strategies for reducing screen time, the importance of device segmentation, and why mindset, not just hardware, matters most. Whether you're considering a dumb phone or looking to reclaim your focus, this conversation will challenge how you think about your devices.Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources to protect your data and reclaim your digital identity.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• https://josebriones.org/• https://www.dumbphones.org/• https://www.youtube.com/c/josebriones• Jose's interview of Henry: https://josebriones.substack.com/p/building-better-digital-habitsTimestamps:00:00:00 INTRO00:01:24 DUMBPHONES + PRIVACY & DIGITAL RIGHTS00:03:56 WHY ARE DUMBPHONES BETTER FOR PRIVACY?00:05:48 DUMBPHONES VS. MINIMAL SMARTPHONES00:08:57 ADOPTING THE MINDSET00:13:41 ADJUSTING FOR ONLINE WORK00:18:21 HANDLING MISMATCHED EMOTIONS00:22:40 ARE OFFLINE ACTIVITIES IMPORTANT?00:26:12 FINDING A BALANCE WITH ONLINE WORK REQUIREMENTS00:30:16 DIGITAL MINIMALISM + HARDWARE00:35:21 DEVICES & WHERE TO START00:39:42 ENCRYPTED COMMUNICATION00:44:19 WHEN OUR CHOICES IMPACT OTHERS00:48:33 ARE WE ANTI-TECHNOLOGY?00:51:36 HENRY'S IDEAL PHONE00:54:41 CONTENT CREATION & CONSUMPTION00:57:44 HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND YOU?00:59:29 OUTRO—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support

Wessel Klein Snakenborg, founder of NovaCustom, joins me to discuss building privacy-focused laptops with CoreBoot firmware, Intel Management Engine disabling, and full Linux compatibility. We dive deep into their custom hardware approach, Qubes OS certification, supply chain security, and why they chose to compete directly with Big Tech on hardware quality while maintaining complete user control. Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources. Discover how to protect your online data and regain control of your digital identity.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• https://novacustom.com/• https://doc.qubes-os.org/en/latest/index.htmlTimestamps:00:00 Introduction & What Nova Custom Does01:00 Company Origins & The Meaning Behind "Nova Custom"02:35 Extensive Hardware Customization Options03:40 Operating System Choices & Linux Focus04:40 CoreBoot Firmware & Security Features06:15 Target Audience & Market Positioning08:45 Security Features vs Other Linux Laptop Makers10:00 Intel Management Engine: Privacy vs Security12:00 Supply Chain Security & Anti-Tamper Solutions15:45 Global Expansion & Shipping Worldwide16:40 CoreBoot Benefits & Outsourcing Development19:20 Operating System Installation & No-OS Options21:45 Repairability & 7-Year Parts Guarantee23:20 Hardware Business Challenges & Manufacturing25:40 Future AMD Support & OpenSIL Framework27:45 ARM vs Intel Performance Comparisons33:00 Qubes OS Compatibility & Certification37:00 Review Unit Discussion: 16-inch vs 14-inch39:20 Desktop Environment Limitations in Qubes41:45 Custom Hardware Features & Laser Engraving47:20 BusKill Partnership & Security Accessories48:20 Future Plans: New Firmware & Product Expansion51:00 Favorite Privacy Tools & Secure Communication54:20 Contact Information & Where to Find Nova Custom57:00 Closing Thoughts & Support Information—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support

Frank Karlitschek, CEO and founder of Nextcloud, joins me to discuss the evolution from OwnCloud to Nextcloud, the challenges of building sustainable open-source businesses, and why digital sovereignty matters more than ever. We dive deep into Nextcloud Hub 10's new end-to-end encryption features, AI capabilities, and Frank's vision for competing with Big Tech while maintaining user privacy. Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources. Discover how to protect your online data and regain control of your digital identity.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• https://nextcloud.com/team/• https://x.com/fkarlitschek• https://mastodon.social/@KarlitschekTimestamps:00:00 INTRODUCTION00:51 - INTRO TO FRANK01:08 - LIFE BEFORE NEXTCLOUD03:15 - ORIGINS OF OWNCLOUD05:51 - FROM OWNCLOUD TO NEXTCLOUD08:45 - STATE OF OWNCLOUD09:20 - STRUCTURE OF NEXTCLOUD10:23 - OPEN SOURCE + PROFIT?13:21 - NEXTCLOUD FREE VS. PAID16:43 - NEXTCLOUD COMPETITORS18:20 - SELF-HOSTING CHALLENGES22:54 - THIRD PARTY HOSTING25:18 - END-TO-END ENCRYPTION32:24 - NEXTCLOUD HUB 1035:59 - AI PUSHBACK42:51 - NEXTCLOUD AI MODELS44:30 - RECOMMENDED LLM45:13 - FEATURE DEVELOPMENT PLAN47:28 - NEXTCLOUD COMMUNITY50:36 - #1 SELF-HOSTING MISTAKE51:19 - FAVORITE FOSS PROJECT52:27 - FAVORITE LINUX DISTRO & DE53:49 - WHAT'S NEXT?54:51 - MOST EXCITING TECH?56:53 - MOST SCARED ABOUT?—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support

Viktor Vescei from IVPN gives us a brutally honest VPN interview. He admits you can't truly verify no-logs claims, explains why most audits are "snapshots in time," and reveals why IVPN shut down their affiliate program due to industry-wide misinformation. This is an insider's perspective on what's really broken in the VPN industry and how to actually evaluate providers. Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources. Discover how to protect your online data and regain control of your digital identity.📱 RESOURCES IN VIDEO:• https://www.ivpn.net/Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:01:54 - Viktor's background & journey to IVPN00:04:47 - IVPN's 15-year history00:07:33 - VPN company ownership & acquisition attempts00:11:24 - IVPN's brutally honest blog00:12:56 - White labeling in the VPN industry00:15:55 - VPN use cases beyond privacy00:19:04 - Using a VPN for streaming?00:20:17 - Compartmentalization techniques00:21:32 - Normalizing VPN usage00:22:27 - Privacy vs. streaming compatibility00:25:32 - Websites blocking VPN users00:29:04 - VPN technology deep dive00:30:11 - Are VPN comparison charts useful?00:34:29 - VPN jurisdiction & the "eyes" debate00:42:09 - Multi-hop VPN connections00:44:38 - Threat modeling for VPNs00:45:30 - Picking a VPN server location00:48:44 - Transparency reports & warrant canaries00:52:04 - VPN logging: the uncomfortable truth00:54:42 - Why VPN audits are "snapshots in time"00:55:28 - Diskless servers explained00:57:17 - System transparency project01:00:09 - Being an open source VPN01:01:54 - VPN payment methods (cash & Monero)01:06:09 - Simultaneous device limits01:09:58 - WireGuard history & privacy issues01:14:34 - First-party vs. rented servers01:19:35 - Sponsors & affiliate program problems01:32:15 - VPN provider relationships behind the scenes01:35:04 - Acquiring Safing (Portmaster)01:37:08 - DNS filtering plans01:38:39 - Firewalls (Safing Portmaster integration)01:40:50 - Safing SPN network01:42:05 - IVPN's 2025 roadmap01:44:33 - Outro—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support

Today I sit down with Dan Saltman, CEO and founder of Redact.dev, to discuss their approach to data deletion. We dive deep into why people are increasingly concerned about their digital footprints, the technical challenges of building privacy software, why deleting data online is important, data removal services, and Dan's philosophy that "perfect is the enemy of good" when it comes to digital privacy. Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources. Discover how to protect your online data and regain control of your digital identity.Guest Information:• https://redact.dev/• https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-saltman/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to the interview01:00 Daniel Saltman Intro 03:35 Common Use-Cases of Data Deletion Services06:20 Why Bother Deleting Data? Is it even deleted?10:48 How does redact.dev function locally?12:42 Why is redact.dev a desktop program?13:30 Redact vs Jumbo16:46 Privacy & Telemetry practices of Redact.dev?20:30 Does Redact have a relationship with big tech companies?22:16 Are their risks of getting banned for using redact?23:55 Editing Reddit posts vs deleting Reddit posts26:04 Mobile vs Desktop Redact experience29:48 Why is Redact not open source?37:17 Data broker removal services & Redact's approach52:30 Dan's distrust of privacy services56:35 Redact's subscription model & alternatives?01:02:26 Daniel's history & background01:07:08 Future plans and final words—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support

Join me for an in-depth conversation with benny Vasquez, Chair of the AlmaLinux OS Foundation, as we explore the fallout from Red Hat's controversial licensing changes and how AlmaLinux emerged as a community-driven solution. We discuss the technical differences between CentOS Stream, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and AlmaLinux, the importance of open source governance, and the challenges of maintaining a stable enterprise Linux distribution. Whether you're a system administrator affected by these changes or simply interested in the evolving open source landscape, this interview offers valuable insights into the future of enterprise Linux. Techlore empowers individuals with practical digital privacy knowledge, security tools, and advocacy resources. Discover how to protect your online data and regain control of your digital identity.Guest Information:• AlmaLinux: https://almalinux.org/• benny LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennyvasquez/Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to benny and AlmaLinux02:48 Explaining What is AlmaLinux and Its Origins06:05 The Evolution of Linux Distribution Flow (Fedora to CentOS)10:00 Why Choose AlmaLinux Over Other Alternatives14:00 Red Hat's License Changes and Their Impact20:20 Exploring the Open Source Philosophy Challenges24:40 Migrating from CentOS to AlmaLinux29:40 Linux for Video Editing and Compatibility Issues32:01 AlmaLinux Organization Structure36:20 The Non-Profit Foundation Approach41:35 benny's Journey with Alma Linux46:40 Daily Driver OS Preferences and Linux Desktop Recommendations48:45 Desktop Environment Recommendations for Linux Beginners49:56 Long-Term Vision for AlmaLinux50:28 Closing Remarks and How to Support Techlore—Keep Techlore Independent:• Become a Techlorian: https://discuss.techlore.tech/s• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/techlore• YouTube Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg/join• Affiliate Links: https://techlore.tech/affiliates• All Support Methods: https://techlore.tech/support