What is this?

This is my 24 month transition towards using free-open-source-software for everything I use. It began on the 30th July 2023. It ended on the 30th July 2025.

And I was successful. Right now, everything I use is open-source.

Why?

There were many reasons. Are you sure you want me to list them all? It's quite long.

Yes, I promise I'll read them all

Ok, here you go. Here's why I switched to free-open-source everything:

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PART ONE: WHY

todo: write the reasons

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PART TWO: START

My first job was to document everything I used.

My use of software could be split into three categories.

1. Personal use.
2. TodePond work.
3. tldraw work.

Personal use

Operating system

• Desktop: Windows
• Phone: Android
• Laptop: ChromeOS
• Laptop: MacOS
• Console: Horizon
• Console: Orbis OS

Browser

• Chrome

Communication

• Messaging: Gmail
• Messaging: Whatsapp
• Messaging: Messenger
• Messaging: Giffgaff
• Calling: Giffgaff
• Calling: Discord
• Calling: Google Meet

Social media

• Scrolling: Mastodon
• Doom scrolling: X
• Doom scrolling: Reddit

Entertainment

• Watching: YouTube
• Watching: Disney+
• Watching: Netflix
• Watching: iPlayer
• Watching: Channel 4
• Watching: Freeview
• Watching: Pirated streams
• Music: Spotify
• Music: YouTube
• Games: Nintendo Switch
• Games: Playstation 5
• Games: Google Play

Notes

• tldraw
• Notion
• Workflowy
• Google Keep

Money

• Barclays
• Monzo

TodePond work

Operating system

• Desktop: Windows
• Laptop: ChromeOS
• Laptop: MacOS
• Phone: Android

Browser

• Chrome
• Testing: Firefox
• Testing: Safari

Communication

• Messaging: Gmail
• Messaging: Discord
• Messaging: Twitter
• Messaging: Mastodon
• Messaging: Slack
• Calling: Discord
• Calling: Google Meet

Social media

• Managing: Discord
• Posting: Mastodon
• Posting: Slack
• Posting: Instagram
• Posting: Reddit
• Posting: Hackernews
• Protesting: X
• Protesting: Bluesky
• Protesting: Threads
• Experimenting: TikTok

Coding

• GitHub
• VS Code

Hosting

• Netlify
• Google Domains

Languages

• ECMAScript
• TypeScript
• CSS
• HTML
• JSX
• TSX
• JSON
• C
• Rust
• Lua
• WebAssembly
• WebGL
• SPLAT
• Ulam
• SpaceTode
• MotherTode
• ColourTode
• C
• Arroost

Ecosystem

• React
• Vite
• Deno
• Node
• Yarn
• NPM
• Three.js
• Perfect Freehand

Entertainment

• Posting: YouTube
• Music: Anjuna Music Store
• Music: Monstercat Gold

Blog

• Posting: Patreon
• Posting: Substack

Notes

• Google Keep
• GitHub
• tldraw
• VS Code

Money

• Supporters: Patreon
• Supporters: Substack
• Supporters: Liberapay
• Stripe
• Paypal

tldraw work

Operating system

• Laptop: MacOS
• Phone: Android
• Tablet: iOS
• Testing: Laptop: Windows

Browser

• Chrome
• Testing: Firefox
• Testing: Safari

todo: document everything else...