Self-Hosted Clouds Gain Ground as Users Seek Control Over Data

Afam, a tech publisher with a background in Computer Science, had grown tired of relying on Google Drive for his files. He was concerned about data privacy and security, particularly since he felt that by using Google's services, he was contributing to the amount of information they already had about him.

The final straw came when he realized how quickly his free 15GB storage space filled up due to automatic backups from other Google services. He then decided to switch to a self-hosted cloud solution and discovered Nextcloud.

Installing Nextcloud was not straightforward, requiring Afam to install Docker and Docker Compose to create a consistent environment for the application, database (MariaDB), and caching system (Redis). However, he found that the real challenge was securing his server with Let's Encrypt SSL certificates, which gave him a sense of control and responsibility.

Afam appreciated the features that Nextcloud offered, including file syncing, sharing, and automation. He also valued the freedom to manage his data without relying on Google's services. As he settled into using Nextcloud, Afam discovered subtle freedoms such as no ads, AI nudges, or pop-ups promoting upgrades.