Tech without the corporate bloat.
Documenting FOSS and calling out the nonsense.
Explore my journey into privacy-first tech and self-hosting.
Welcome to The Unknown Universe. I write from a privacy‑first perspective about free and open source software (FOSS), Linux and practical self‑hosting.
This site is a mix of hands‑on guides, honest reviews and personal stories aimed at helping you take back control of your data and run services you can trust. Expect clear steps, config examples and what actually worked (and what didn’t) in my home lab.
My home lab runs on Proxmox and containers — mostly Docker — with tools such as AdGuard Home and Smokeping. Dive into categories like Home Lab, Linux & FOSS, Privacy & Security, and Tech Stories. Join the conversation on Mastodon, subscribe for new posts, or drop a comment.
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Latest from the Blog
- Plex, Plex Pass, and the Slow Creep of EnshittificationI’ve been a Plex user since 2012. Back then, I paid around £50 for a lifetime Plex Pass. It felt like a bargain. Plex was a genuinely useful piece of software that solved a problem many of us in the home lab and self-hosting community had: how do you access your own media collection easily…
- The Luna Deadline: A Blueprint for Digital DisappearanceForget the tidy PR spin for a second. Luna’s announcement that it will bin third-party stores and stop a‑la-carte purchases in April 2026, followed by the removal of access to those streamed purchases in June, is a glaring reminder of a miserable truth. In 2026, the word “buy” has been hollowed out. You hand over…