I have two systems that sort of work together.

The first system involves a bunch of text files for each task. OS installation, basic post OS installation tasks and a file for each program I add (like UFW, apparmor, ddclient, docker and so on). They basically look like scripts with comments. If I want to I can just copy/paste everything into a terminal and reach a a specific state that I want to be at.

The second system is a sort of “skeleton” file tree that only contains all the files that I have added or modified.

.
├── etc
│   ├── crontabs
│   │   └── root
│   ├── ddclient
│   │   └── ddclient.conf
│   ├── doas.d
│   │   └── doas.conf
│   ├── fail2ban
│   │   ├── filter.d
│   │   │   └── alpine-sshd-key.conf
│   │   └── jail.d
│   │       └── alpine-ssh.conf
│   ├── modprobe.d
│   │   ├── backlist-extra.conf
│   │   └── disable-filesystems.conf
│   ├── network
│   │   └── interfaces
│   ├── periodic
│   │   └── 1min
│   │       └── dynamic-motd
│   ├── profile.d
│   │   └── profile.sh
│   ├── ssh
│   │   └── sshd_config
│   ├── wpa_supplicant
│   │   └── wpa_supplicant.conf
│   ├── fstab
│   ├── nanorc
│   ├── profile
│   └── sysctl.conf
├── home
│   └── pi-user
│       ├── .config
│       │   └── ash
│       │       ├── ashrc
│       │       └── profile
│       ├── .ssh
│       │   └── authorized_keys
│       ├── .sync
│       │   ├── file-system-backup
│       │   │   ├── .sync-server-fs_01_root
│       │   │   └── .sync-server-fs_02_boot
│       │   └── .sync-caddy_certs_backup
│       ├── .nanorc
│       └── .tmux.conf
├── root
│   ├── .config
│   │   └── mc
│   │       └── ini
│   ├── .local
│   │   └── share
│   │       └── mc
│   │           └── history -> /dev/null
│   ├── .ssh
│   │   └── authorized_keys
│   ├── scripts
│   │   ├── automated-backup
│   │   └── maintenance
│   ├── .ash_history -> /dev/null
│   └── .nanorc
├── srv
│   ├── caddy
│   │   ├── Caddyfile
│   │   ├── Dockerfile
│   │   └── docker-compose.yml
│   └── kiwix
│       └── docker-compose.yml
└── usr
    └── sbin
        ├── containers-down
        ├── containers-up
        ├── emountman
        ├── fs-backup-quick
        └── rtransfer

This is useful to me because I can keep track of every change I make. I even have it set up so I can use rsync to quickly chuck all the files into place after a fresh install or after adding/modifying files.

I also created and maintain a “quick install” guide so I can install a fresh OS, rsync all the modified files from my skeleton file tree into place, then run through all the commands in my quick install guide to get myself back to the same state in a minimal amount of time.

I actually started with RPi’s. The first one, a used Pi 4b, is dedicated only to HomeAssistant. I don’t tinker with it anymore because it does what I want and I don’t want unexpected downtime when I have to use the bathroom or use the lights in my room.

I bought a used Pi5 with the intention of upgrading later. In life I am quite minimal and find a joy in using what little tools and material I have to create something new. That seems to hold true to technology and scripting too. The RPi5 with an old USB3 HDD is actually way more power than I can currently use and can imagine using for a long time. The extra room to work is convenient though.

I’ll have a look into some of the places you suggested, those seem like the places to draw good inspiration from, thank you.

I started out rewriting my network backup scripts only to realize I was adding functionality to a previous script I wrote to automatically mount and dismount luks encrypted volumes. I still want to type in my luks passphrase because I don’t want everything automated and prefer to include inconvenience as an additonal security measure in securing some of my data.

I also came to the realization recently that the reason I don’t relate strongly to other self hosters is because I’ve unknowingly been trying to create a minimal self hosted system that is more beneficial to small, low powered devices.

I’ve been using Alpine Linux, I install only the bare, older but well established tools and have been creating scripts soley based off those tools instead of seeking out bigger, more complicated modern tools. For example creating workflows by only using rsync or using https://github.com/RayCC51/BashWrite to create a blog that only uses bash and GNU sed to create a static blog site.

At least now that I’m aware of this, I can keep an eye out for such projects or communities and would hopefully be able to contribute something in that direction.

I’m also confused as to how I am changing the subject talking about people who are stuck on defining words in relation to a meme about people stuck on defining words.

At the very least we don’t disagree on something after all this and that’s something positive.

Am I assuming most people are using words as a weapon?

Did I say people were questioning my use of the word queer?

I’m discussing a common manipulation tactic that’s often performed which is happening in this meme. Something often used to derail an argument by forcing people to waste time talking about the definition of words rather than continuing a conversation about concepts as a whole.

Manipulator’s to me are like magicians, they hate when people talk about the tools of their trade. And I love talking about the tools of a manipulators trade. This just so happened to be a meme about a manipulators tool.

I think my personal usage of the word ‘queer’ might be a good example to help describe what I mean.

I personally have a strong dislike for labels. Often people label me as a quick way to describe a list of traits they think I am. Often I do not neatly fit that list of traits which ends up with the other person upset that I am not neatly categorized and predictable.

However, as much as I hate labels, I still need to find community in this modern world. Talking with my therapist, we both agreed that ‘queer’ is probably the best compromise. It’s nothing too specific and it’s broad enough to be overall inclusive. I did not want to meet a specific group. Not gay, not bi, not poly, not trans, or any specific group. I wanted to meet all of these people in a general, inclusive space. In my area, the word queer happens to attract that diverse crowd I want to surrounded by.

I’ve been around by the type of people misinterpret my words my whole life. That’s why I choose to speak and type in the way that I do. I’m attempting to remove ambiguity. By removing thier tool of defining words as a weapon, it reveals that they can’t really defend themselves or their awful hidden views.

D:

It’s still possible to communicate clearly and not get dragged down with getting lost in the excess of words from so many niche or specific topics of human interests.

Personally I choose to speak using words that are more common, simpler and broader. The purpose of that for me is to be understood by as many people as possible. To be understood by people of many ages or English skill level. This generally involves me using more words to describe what it is that I want to say or express without the need to condense meaning into words I have trouble defining because it’s outside of my personal interests.

Since I want to be understood by so many people, it means that many more people can hold me up to my word. That I can be called out by anyone, young or old, English as a first language or not and so on.

When I’m around people who talk like a dictionary, using all these words that seem definable but leaves me confused and trying to fill in the blanks in a conversation, I’m left with questions. Can they define all those words? But more importantly, who are they trying to talk to? Me? Or their preferred group of like-minded people?

There was a time before written language where language was continued through culture, tradition, story and possibly many other ways. This current experience isn’t the one and only way to experience life.

The ones who spend a large amount of personal energy fighting to define words will have spent a large amount of their limited time alive fighting to define words. They could have tried building community, or creating art or maybe just existing in the moment and being happy with the beauty that surrounds them. And then they, just like us, will all die. Life will continue on and the definition of words will continue to flow, change, evolve or die like so much of human culture and activity.

I found myself unconsciously drifting away from people who are mentally stuck behind the definition of words. I didn’t realize what I was doing or why I was feeling safety in isolating myself for the longest time.

People who are so heavily invested in the definitions of words rarely have good intentions.

It never really made much sense to me. Words are all made up and are in constant change from one time period to the next. Each generation has their own words and what it means to them.

I think subconsciously I realized that people obessed with defining words were attempting to assert power or dominance over me or my interests. That’s why I pushed back in my own way. By living a life that can’t be defined and cutting those weirdos out of my life.

After a weirdo dies, what did all that time spent fighting about the definition of a word archive? Maybe we can ask Charlie.

I’ve experienced gatekeeping issues long before I got into self-hosting specifically. Years ago I wanted to learn C++ for Arduino and I was constantly talked down for asking questions.

“Why don’t you just do …” in response to a question feels very rude as a newcomer because it feels like I am being talked down to for not knowing what others already know. Even when I made an effort to show I was making an effort to learn on my own, I was still belittled.

I’m all for hearing different ways of approaching my issue but from the replies, it often feels like other people insist there is only one true specific way to handle an issue.

When I first got into self-hosting, people kept pushing Cloudflare on me. When I expressed concern over a large centralized corporation having that much control and how they might have service issues, I was mocked really hard. Half a year later and there was a significant outage and suddenly there’s all this talk about how centralized the internet is and how that is bad.

After that I took it upon myself to find alternative ways to protect myself without Cloudflare’s services but every step of the way has been an isolating experience. Every step of the way has been full of people saying that my efforts are pointless and that the bots will win anyways so I shouldn’t bother.

I decided to try to secure myself through multiple layers of obscurity and every question in that direction has been full of people saying that obscurity is not security, the bots will find you anyways!

I’ve stopped myself from asking too many questions now. I still keep learning in my direction. I feel like I’ve managed to find multiple solutions that both obscure and protect myself. I’ve constantly check my logs for months now and the bot is less than I expected in places I expect them to be and completely zero in other places I thought there would be some activity.

I want to share what I have learned and my experiences but I know I will receive backlash for deviating from the norm.

I’ve spent a lot of my self-hosting efforts trying to find ways to protect myself with minimal use of third party services, documenting as much as I could only feel afraid to share what I have learned.

This comment may not be about learning self-hosting as a beginner specifically but the vibe has been pretty damn consistent throughout me learning C++, self-hosting, linux and shell scripting. All things I enjoy but all so full of people ready to talk down to someone who wants to learn.

I have three backups. One is my laptop where all the backups initially start. Then that gets copied to a plugin USB SSD. Then another copy goes to my server which has another USB SSD. That means I don’t have an off site backup.

I don’t have a place to host an off site backup and I’m not comfortable or interested in using cloud services. Instead I just decided that if it all goes up in flames. So be it.

It’s just data and backups are just nice a convenience. I’ll be upset but there’s more important things in life to worry about.

I’ve always lived a life of minimalism and to me stuff is stuff. None of it mattered before I was born and none of it will matter after I die. That happiest and most free feeling I ever experienced was when I spent years travelling with only a 34 litre backpack and that’s kind of been my baseline for happiness ever since.

Since 2020, I’ve been telling people that the whole world has entered a collective mental health crisis. Covid has really put on display all the cracks in the systems currently in place and those cracks are only getting bigger.

All the people that ignored me or dismissed me were the type of people who thought we would eventually return to a pre-covid era of normal. Which was the vast majority of everyone I was surrounded by.

These days I talk to only a handful of people who take their mental health seriously and I keep them very close to my heart.

apk seems to have some tricks in there that aren’t as well known.

I managed to catch in the IRC channel that apk add doc will automatically download any related man pages for packages with any future downloads through apk. That made life a bit more convenient instead of downloading all those packages separately.

My web facing server has just enough packages installed to (kinda securely) host a Caddy and Kiwix docker container to work with my domain name and make a comfortable work environment through SSH. My Pi for my HomeAssistant docker container has less because it’s locked down to just my local network.

I also wrote my own install scripts so reinstalling everything and getting it back to a running state would take about 15 minutes for each device.

And I also wrote my own backup/restore scripts that evolved over 3/4 of a year. I use them often so I have confidence in those scripts.

I personally don’t really care too much. I have multiple ways of dealing with issues for something that’s a hobby to me. Which is why I stick to simplicity.

I’m sure this is a thing for people to worry about when dealing with more complex setups. I just wanna vibe out in my tiny corner of the internet.

On Alpine Linux I update my two Pi servers at 2 in the morning daily. It’s simpler compared to Debian which needs unattended-updates. Just add apk update && apk upgrade to a cron job and you’re good to go.

I only have three docker services which is simple enough to update manually.

I like to keep things as simple as possible for my already chaotic brain.

I’ve read about that and I already have that in my notes as well.

It doesn’t really affect my needs because my ISP blocks incoming on those ports anyways. Also I’m choosing not to use a tunnel at the moment so I’ll be using a higher port anyways.

The last time I asked about it, a few people seemed to agree it was something to do with the firewall settings. That seems most likely since I was able to connect when I disabled my firewall. I’m not a fan of working with iptables. The language for that type of networking is gibberish to me.

I had also tried going from docker compose to rootful podman compose and ran into the same issue. Although I’m trying to work away from podman compose in the future, just taking it in steps.

Yeah, I mainly just want to move away to more open projects. When I first started, everyone kept suggesting using Cloudflare. After half a year using their service, I just felt icky the entire time.

In the past couple months I was able to move away and chose to protect myself by learning how to harden my server as well as hiding my server behind multiple layers of obscurity.

With my current setup, the only site traffic I get has only been myself and my custom ssh port only gets hit by bots about 3-10 times a week according to my logs. Only time will tell how effective my layers of obscurity will hold up but so far it seems to satisfy my needs better than I was expecting.

Once I get podman in a state I like, I’ll pretty much be all open sourced and all I’ll have to do for myself is be in maintenance mode unless I care to add a new service. I like to keep things simple so I don’t normally go crazy adding new services anyways.

Thank you for the offer. I still need a bit more more time to experiment and zero in on the issue again. Fortunately my setup is quite simple and the only bottleneck will be Caddy.

I basically run Caddy which redirects to a static generated blog, simple file server page and a Kiwix instance. I’m mostly making a self hosted reference site of materials for Linux and Scripting resources.

One day I may add a Forgeo instance but currently my entire workflow exists around rsync. I’m happy just having my single file scripts hosted as text files and don’t really need the power of git. At least not at the moment.

I’ve been making another attempt to replace Docker with Podman. The issue is I can’t connect to my server through a web browser. I think it’s a firewall issue.

Networking and networking troubleshooting is a bit confusing for me and that’s the least favourite part about self hosting for me. Turns out I actually enjoy writing scripts more and the challenge of writing POSIX scripts especially.

If I can figure it out, I’ll probably write a guide for setting up Podman and Caddy on Alpine Linux since there isn’t a lot of recent information out there from what I found in my searches so far.

I use rsync for many of the reasons covered in the video. It’s widely available and has a long history. To me that feels important because it’s had time to become stable and reliable. Using Linux is a hobby for me so my needs are quite low. It’s nice to have a tool that just works.

I use it for all my backups and moving my backups to off network locations as well as file/folder transfers on my own network.

I even made my own tool (https://codeberg.org/taters/rTransfer) to simplify all my rsync commands into readable files because rsync commands can get quite long and overwhelming. It’s especially useful chaining multiple rsync commands together to run under a single command.

I’ve tried other backup and syncing programs and I’ve had bad experiences with all of them. Other backup programs have failed to restore my system. Syncing programs constantly stop working and I got tired of always troubleshooting. Rsync when set up properly has given me a lot less headaches.