If you are concerned about Google analyzing your personal photos, this post shares my journey from paying for cloud storage to self-hosting with Synology Photos for greater privacy and control. I detail the straightforward process of enabling the app on my NAS and exporting my archive via Google Takeout, highlighting why I believe managing my own data is worth the effort.

You might be interested in this post if you are looking for an honest assessment of Azure Automanage’s utility for managing virtual machines. In the 90th episode of Ctrl+Alt+Azure, I sit down with Tobias Zimmergren to discuss this preview feature and share our insights on its practical value. You can listen to the conversation on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or directly in your browser.

In this quarterly life update, I share how I adapted to gym closures in Finland by setting up a smart bike trainer on my balcony and pursuing a new homelab server project. Alongside these DIY endeavors, I reflect on family moments in Helsinki and celebrate the completion of my Executive MBA before heading off for a well-deserved summer break.

If you’re curious about upgrading your video quality by repurposing a DSLR or mirrorless camera as a webcam, this post shares my frustrating yet insightful journey to make it work. After failing with direct HDMI connections and Canon’s software utility due to on-screen overlays and cropping issues, I discovered that hardware capture cards like the Elgato Cam Link 4K are necessary for a clean, professional feed.

If you are struggling with unhelpful error messages when trying to move Azure resources between subscriptions, this post shares how I resolved a blocking issue caused by an inaccessible leftover Office 365 subscription. I demonstrate how filtering out that specific subscription in the Azure Portal allows both the web interface and PowerShell validation to work correctly.

I examine the hardware requirements for Windows 11, specifically focusing on the surprising mandatory inclusion of a TPM 2.0 chip. While most specifications seem manageable for modern systems, I explain what this security feature entails and why it might be a hurdle for some users.