Why I Self-Host

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 15:14:26 +0000

Previously on isoul.uk: The Internet Used to Feel Different — forums had addresses, communities had places and discovery was active before feeds took over.

There are much easier ways to use technology than self-hosting.

If I want photo storage, somebody will sell it to me.

If I need file sync, there are dozens of services.

If I want media streaming, I can pay a subscription and install an app.

Instead, I have ended up with NASes, Docker hosts, virtual machines, DNS servers, monitoring, backups and enough cables to make the “easy” option look extremely sensible.

Linux on isoul.uk

Why I Self-Host