Amidst ups and downs, one thing that never fails to bring me joy is bread. Whether I'm crafting it, savoring its taste, or simply admiring its artistry, bread holds a special place in my heart. Like many, the sourdough became a part of my life during the COVID times. I cherish every loaf, every experiment with the recipe, every bread-making book I've delved into, and the warm feedback from those who've shared my bread.
Bread truly brings me happiness.
As we step into the new year, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year.
I'm delighted to have made progress on this website throughout 2023. While balancing work and family remains a priority, I'm grateful for the opportunity to occasionally share my thoughts. In 2024, I aspire to establish a regular habit of dedicating an hour every Sunday to express my discoveries and thoughts on matters dear to me.
Here's to a year filled with meaningful sharing and growth.
If you occasionally read my blog, you know I'm a ProtonMail user. While that's true, and I use ProtonMail services daily, I also research alternatives to see if the grass is greener elsewhere or to recommend something to clients (or family 😉) when they ask for a mail service I could recommend.
That's how I came across Migadu (https://migadu.com/), a Swiss-based email hosting provider. Unlike many other providers that limit the number of accounts, domains, and aliases per tier, Migadu approaches billing (and limits) slightly differently. Even with the lowest tier, you can add as many accounts/domains/aliases as you want, and what you pay for is the number of incoming and outgoing emails per day. In my current tier, I can receive 1000 emails and send 100 emails (more details here: https://migadu.com/pricing/).
It's important to mention that while the limit is already quite low, it is shared across all accounts within your subscription. So if you have 2 users as a company, their accumulated usage is counted against the limit. There are no unlimited options, so be aware of this limit and consider choosing a tier with some room to spare.
This Christmas, I encountered an issue with one of the new accounts I had created - emails were ending up in SPAM despite having DKIM and other DNS records correctly configured. I submitted a support request on Boxing Day, and the issue was resolved within an hour, which is quite impressive. The support agent was very transparent and admitted that the issue was related to the sending domain configuration on their end, as the sending domain was carrying outdated information about registered DNS records, particularly DKIM. The issue was fixed manually, and an internal ticket was created to prevent similar issues in the future. I was very pleased with the resolution of this issue and the experience I had with their support, even though it was my first (and only) time using it.
In summary, I believe Migadu is an intriguing email hosting provider for those who want to use their domain for sending and receiving emails. One should be aware of the limitations the service imposes, but Migadu does a great and honest job of explaining all these limitations in plain text on their pricing page: https://migadu.com/pricing/#are-the-prices-and-limits-per-mailbox-or-ac….
This year has brought numerous changes into my life, some filled with joy, others marked by challenges, yet all were necessary. I want to express my gratitude to everyone I had the privilege of collaborating with during this year. I look forward to the possibility of our paths crossing again, whether on a Drupal project or another exciting web venture. In the meantime, I wish you all the best for this Holiday season.
Earlier this month, I renewed my Proton (https://proton.me) account for another 2 years. It's the largest invoice I've paid this year for something I used to get "for free." However, here's why I still feel good about it.
About 4 years ago, I made the switch from Gmail to ProtonMail as my primary email inbox. Admittedly, it took a bit of time to adapt to a new email address, apps, and interface. ProtonMail isn't, and probably never will be, a direct replacement for Gmail. So, I had to adjust to a different way of working and accept the absence of some features and services.
Why did I switch? Well, for several reasons. Firstly, I no longer wanted an email address with a *@gmail.com domain. Secondly, I had concerns about depending on a single company for services, especially given the history of companies discontinuing their services (see https://killedbygoogle.com/). Lastly, privacy was a significant concern.
Sure, I could have signed up for the G Suite to have a custom domain, but that would have addressed just one of my concerns. I was aware that Proton didn't offer everything I needed at the time. The Calendar was in its Alpha stage, and there was no cloud storage product. Nevertheless, I signed up and went all in because I believed in their mission of providing "privacy and freedom first" services.
Going all-in meant subscribing to their (no longer available) Visionary plan, which covers 6 accounts in total. I only use 3 of those accounts, leaving me with 3 spare ones I pay for.
Considering everything I've mentioned so far, why am I still happy about it?
First and foremost, I believe Proton still upholds its mission. They could have taken shortcuts, compromised on security, and expanded rapidly to make more money. Instead, they are ready to defend their customers' privacy in court if needed (ref. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/15/proton-mail-foun…).
Additionally, Proton keeps expanding its service portfolio and provides me with (early) access to all these services as part of the Suite, without additional charges. So, even though I pay substantial invoices every 2 years, I see the value of the service increasing every month. Don't get me wrong – it's still a significant amount, and I may not use all the services, but (a) the price hasn't gone up in 6 years, and (b) the value has more than doubled since I first signed up. The recent launch of their Password Manager ProtonPass was a fantastic addition to the suite, and now I can't imagine living without it.
Every service is also improving at a faster pace than ever. Lately, it feels like so much is happening that I can't keep up with all the progress the team is making. They are also communicating these improvements better to a broader audience. As of now, I don't feel that the overall product quality is compromised for the sake of enhancements, and I hope it stays that way.
At the same time, I feel confident that I can switch vendors if the need ever arises. Maybe Proton doesn't live up to its promises, or I can't afford it anymore, or a better tool emerges on the market. Ironically, the ability to switch vendors and take my data with me is one of the primary reasons I plan to stick with them in the foreseeable future.
With the holiday season here, if I were to make a wish to Proton Santa, here's the list of features I'd love to see implemented next:
- https://protonmail.uservoice.com/forums/932839-proton-drive/suggestions… - to enable syncing my Drive account with this website.
- https://protonmail.uservoice.com/forums/932839-proton-drive/suggestions… - for improved data backup from my laptop.
- https://protonmail.uservoice.com/forums/284483-proton-mail/suggestions/… - for easier navigation between messages on my phone.
- https://protonmail.uservoice.com/forums/284483-proton-mail/suggestions/… - only for Android :)
In conclusion, renewing my Proton subscription for another two years was an easy decision for me. Not only does ProtonMail align with my privacy and freedom values, but the company continues to deliver on its mission. With a growing portfolio of services, frequent improvements, and a commitment to user privacy, Proton has proven to be a reliable and forward-thinking choice. As I eagerly anticipate the features on my Proton Santa wishlist, I'm confident that Proton will continue to exceed my expectations in the years to come.
If you're considering giving Proton a try, you can use this referral link https://pr.tn/ref/TWAD0XXF7DM0 to get started.
Excited to share my new Services page! It outlines collaboration opportunities, rates, and contract models for my services. Interested in retainer, fixed project, or hourly consultancy? Find all the details you need to get started. Check it out at https://piasecki.no/services and let's talk about how we can work together!
On November 1st, I started my own consulting company. This is a big step for me because I've always enjoyed helping others with their ideas. Now, I get to speak for myself and offer my services.
Because of this change, I've made some updates to my website. I'll keep posting short updates and might also start sharing longer pieces like tutorials or case studies. I also want to show you who I am as a brand. So, I've made a logo, picked some colors, and changed my homepage to reflect this.
Remember, nothing is final. The website will change over time. But I want to be open about what's happening with me and what's next for the website. Thanks for your support, and I'm excited to share more with you.
Wrapping up an amazing websummit experience!
This was my first time attending, and I didn't know what to expect. But let me tell you, it exceeded all my expectations. The 4-day conference, including an opening night show, was jam-packed with fascinating sessions, panels, and Q&As. And if you prefer interactive learning, the expo area had 5 spacious pavilions filled with intriguing startups, scale-ups, unicorns, and regional booths. Plus, the delicious food trucks and sunny Portuguese weather made everything even better.
Coming in with some prejudices from past experiences in the tech industry, I thought I'd have to dig deep to find interesting content beyond the business metrics. Boy, was I wrong! The main focus, aside from the dominant theme of AI, revolved around privacy, sustainability, governance, security, and the human side of tech - topics close to my heart. It was inspiring to see discussions tackling poverty, inequality, health, accessibility, and internet access disparities.
Attending a conference solo for the first time since starting my consulting business this month, I wasn't sure how I'd fit into the crowd of 70k+ people, many of whom came with their work buddies. But from day 1, I felt a strong connection with this diverse crowd. Networking was a breeze, and I made valuable contacts through LinkedIn and the conference app.
Speaking of the app, I had read blog posts from previous editions of Websummit and knew that recordings from the central stage would be accessible even after the conference. So, I planned to attend smaller lectures in person and catch up on the central stage sessions later. However, I often found myself torn between multiple interesting sessions happening simultaneously. Luckily, most of them are available on the app, and I've already started watching the ones I missed live. The professionalism of the production team in organizing the conference was top-notch.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have secured a conference ticket through Websummit's developer program and my open-source contributions. Thank you, Websummit! 🙌 If you're like me, I highly recommend trying to get a ticket through the developer program next year (here's the info: https://lnkd.in/dKrtSEwh) and experiencing it for yourself. In the coming days, I'll share more detailed insights on trends and market predictions based on the lectures I watched. In the meantime, have a fantastic Sunday!
Excited to join Websummit this year with over 70k people passionate about tech! I am thrilled about how diverse the speaker lineup is. I am looking forward to meeting new people and old friends and learning about new technologies and perspectives. I am thrilled that drupal, with whom I feel connected the most throughout my professional career, is also joining and will have a booth in the expo area.
I am excited that DrupalGovCon is sold out with a stunning 600 attendees.
I wish we had an event of a similar scope here in Europe. While every governmental project is unique there's always room for the transfer of knowledge, ideas, or wishes.
As Joey Tribbiani once said 😉
"(...) through this having and giving and sharing and receiving, we too can share and love and have and receive."
In each of the European states, we have tons of projects that we as tax-payers have founded over decades. Looking at many projects I personally participated in we can greatly improve how we collaborate.
1. Rather than starting each project with a blank page we could start to accept the knowledge others already gathered. opensource can be a fantastic start for most projects. As a Drupal community, we already have plenty of talks, case studies, or even code distributions you can learn from - either from your local market or other European states.
2. Provide small but meaningful improvements. Maybe an inherited project doesn't fit the bill straight away and approaches things differently than what your project requires. Rather than complaining about that try to understand what was the reason someone approached it differently than you. Ask questions, and provide feedback. Finally, treat what you've received with tender loving care.
3. Share your incremental improvements with others. This is perhaps the most important step of the cycle as it enables one to keep iterating over and over. You will be surprised how often your past work not only impacts your future projects but can also positively impact the projects of others.
Meanwhile, I wish a fantastic conference to everyone coming to Bethesda this year.
