@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · 3d ago

Buzzfeed's shares go from $15 to 70 cents, now approaching bankruptcy, seemingly as a result of going all-in on 'AI' generated content.

This emerging pattern does not speak to a wicked problem. Rather, it should be no surprise that people don't want to read machine-generated content that outwardly pretends to come from a person. Because it is innately &intrinsically deceptive, which people do not like, so ending trust that will be very hard to win back. If at all

https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/buzzfeed-disastrous-earnings-ai

#ai

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Mar 03, 2026

We keep hearing that only 'AI', whose profound ability to grasp complex systems, could solve a problem as wicked, entangled and multi-dimensional as global warming.*

This report details not only why that has no basis in reality, but that this fairytale is part of an industry campaign to make BigAI look like it's part of a habitable future, covering the tracks for genAI's massive footprint.

https://ketanjoshi.co/2026/02/17/big-tech-greenwashing-report/

* Turns out the trick is not spewing CO2 & CH4 into the air

#ai #climate #genai

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Mar 01, 2026

Condemnation of the illegal attack on Iran is complicated by some Iranian people celebrating it as the beginning of liberation. An Iranian activist tells me this is further muddied by the fact many monarchists in Iran want to see the regime toppled so that the monarchy can be reinstated.

For others it will understandably seem a release from captivity.

But 'liberation' may not age well amidst a battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz & Iranian oil, US-appointed leadership etc.

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 27, 2026

Every server deployment on Amazon's AWS, Google's GCP and MS Azure feeds the beast.

Not only do they reinforce pathways of centralisation in the topological sense, but they also invest in US supremacy geopolitically. That supremacy now openly includes a theocratic & racist, war-mongering & imperialist movement.

Every server you spin up at home or on a smaller DC, like every abandoned Google, Twitter or FB account, slows the beast down.

The 3D's:

Depopulate. Defund. Disempower.

#bigtech

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 23, 2026

On the back of a very successful 2nd edition, I'm pleased to announce the date for Cloudbreak 3.

Learn how to build-up & secure your own sovereign cloud infrastructure, with powerful alternatives to Google Docs & Drive, Zoom & more, using best practices refined from over 2 decades of server administration.

No engineering or comp-sci background needed.

This is an ideal opportunity to become part of the movement away from BigTech.

Seats are limited.

https://courses.nikau.io/cloudbreak

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 17, 2026

Microsoft is intrinsic to the machinery of fascism in the US, and profiting from it. From minds to tools, storage to data analysis and automation, leaked files show just how deep they are in the engine room of ICE.

https://www.972mag.com/ice-microsoft-azure-leaked-files/

#BigTech

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 17, 2026

Happy Asian New Year! Enjoying mine with an especially lucky horse.

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 15, 2026

An empowering piece on individual climate action (alongside the needed changes at policy level), from Uni of Bremen scientist Ben Marzeion.

"One tonne of CO2 reduction [ per person ] keeps, for example, nine tonnes of glacier ice in the mountains that would melt otherwise.". This stops ~12 cubic metres of sea level rise.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/586939/every-tonne-matters-the-climate-scientist-who-wants-to-give-you-hope

However, it is worth mentioning he said these words at a conference he flew to, here in Aotearoa New Zealand. That's a ~5t CO2e flight, one way.

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 15, 2026

A reminder that with the current trunk (and a few recent point releases) of Nginx, HTTP/2 can finally be set on the backend, mitigating for HTTP request 'smuggling' attacks through the rev proxy.

https://portswigger.net/web-security/request-smuggling

#infosec #sysadmin

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 13, 2026

Good to see a glimmer of sanity return to the UK High Court, deeming the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist group unlawful

Co-founder Ammori reminds us how absurd it had become:

"This ban was unlawful, resulting in the unlawful arrest of nearly 3,000 people – among them priests, vicars, former magistrates and retired doctors – under terrorism laws for simply sitting in silence while holding signs reading: ‘I oppose genocide – I support Palestine Action’"

https://www.irishtimes.com/world/uk/2026/02/13/palestine-action-wins-court-challenge-over-uk-governments-terror-ban/

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 12, 2026

If there is any doubt as to whether or not Musk is a white supremacist.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/12/elon-musk-posts-january-white-supremacists

To give this person your money or to use X is to fund and nourish his influence, so doing harm to people and planet.

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 11, 2026

An excellent finish to the recent edition of the Tunnel training. Seeing powerful new tightly secured censorship-resistant VPNs born and singing, each able to serve hundreds of people that need it (or even functioning as private LAN layer atop public Internet infrastructure), gives me such a buzz each time.

Congrats to the participants, focused and determined. This is reclamation of Internet infrastructure and the fundamental right to privacy in action.

#selfhosted

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 06, 2026

Just off a call with over a dozen students in Canada.

The session was on BigBlueButton, cameras & voice, on a server hosted in Falkenstein. Chat was in Mattermost, #selfhosted at a home on a NAS in Berlin. My notes on a Nextcloud instance in Frankfurt.

Meanwhile, I'm in Aotearoa NZ, a couple of clicks from Antarctica.

A free & open source sovereign EU stack used over enormous distances & a diversity of endpoint devices.

Smooth, easy & #BigTech free. I never tire of how good it feels.

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 02, 2026

As we guessed, it seems that despite Google saying they were not making recordings of people's voices and mining them for advertisers, they were doing exactly that. If it was a colleague caught wiretapping the workplace, we'd have them sacked and never speak to nor trust them again. In the case of Google, it's even more personal. No Google service is free. We are the terrain they extract from. We always pay. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/google-voice-assistant-lawsuit-settlement-68-million/ #bigtech

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Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Feb 01, 2026

Some sorely overdue time offgrid. Hiked into the Tararua rainforest on a fine summer day and found a spot that had been eyed before as a possible campsite: no clearing needed, close to water, sheltered, no flood plane. It was perfect.

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Boosted by

Charlie Stross @cstross@wandering.shop

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

Julian Oliver

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social

I deploy and secure ethical server infrastructure for defenders of human rights and the environment, and teach people to do the same for communities and organisations important to them | https:// nikau.io I also make and teach tech art, exhibiting internationally since the late 90's | https:// julianoliver.com Behind a UNIX shell since '98. Bows, arrows & rainforest conservation when I can. Pākehā, Tangata Tiriti, he/him, herbivore

mastodon.social

@JulianOliver@mastodon.social · Dec 15, 2025

A Moscow court has officially labelled Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot an 'extremist group'. Founding member Nadya Tolokonnikova, now living in exile, is not phased however: "When I was tried for the punk prayer, facing seven years in a labor camp, I told the judge and prosecutors that I was still freer than they would ever be," she said in comments sent to AFP. "In today's Russia, telling the truth is extremism. So be it – we're proud extremists, then." https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/12/15/russia-outlaws-feminist-protest-band-pussy-riot_6748524_4.html

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