Given everything happening right now, I updated this article with options for weather apps, web forms, and translation services — along with some tweaks to existing categories.
I hope it helps your transition off US tech!
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@parismarx Thanks for putting together this list! I recommend removing Opera browser. They're known to have done a lot of shady stuff (and probably do even more since it's closed source): https://www.spacebar.news/stop-using-opera-browser/
@parismarx And in that whole article, you totally avoided the elephant in the room: the OS itself. Nice...
There are several really good choices for Linux distribution for folk migrating from macOS or Windows (which, y'know, that's two major U.S. products right there).
Linux Mint
Ubuntu
openSUSE
Pop!_OS
Elementary OS
There... Five options. You're welcome.
@QuarkMaker I did mention it, I just didn’t focus on it because it’s a guide for regular people, who will be very unlikely to figure out how to use Linux.
@parismarx I'm looking for AI chat even tough I use mainly local models. The non US services I know are: Mistral, Deepseek, Qwen, PublicAI (swiss), Ecosia Chat.
@sterpeto I’m not recommending the use of generative AI tools.
@parismarx Me neither but I like to use them sometime for brainstorming and I'm looking for alternatives.
@parismarx It'll be interesting to follow the BBC v trump closely re iplayer servers. If trump gets arsey will the BBC have to host somewhere else? I think they're AWS & Google ATM.
@parismarx I can also recommend @penpot. It's a very successful open source alternative to Figma, primarily developed by a Spanish company.
@parismarx I realize this piece is focus on migration. Your moving a lot of services to another single provider - Proton. That’s all fine. Have you considered privacy ramifications with the new Swiss laws? https://tuta.com/blog/switzerland-surveillance-plan. I like the article and many of your choices. Given your messaging choices revolving around privacy, it would be good to see that factored into the other products. Keep up the good work.
@parismarx Also check out Jolla and #SailfishOS.
@parismarx Excellent article! I love writeups like this. I also love that this one takes a different angle than just de-googling.
@parismarx great article, thanks. I like that you've included Australian content.
@parismarx I'm all for getting of US tech or at least spreading around my uses of it. Firefox as main browser in my Windows based machine. Stuck with Chrome on Chromebook. Prefer Startpage as first option. Increasingly going to AI search but there too we're tied to US tech. I pay for Evernote for cloud storage as it reads almost everything and copy/pastes clean. Deserves what it costs me.
If the bank uses SMS or Phone Calls
This is the "phone as 2 step" method most banks still use. Unfortunately, Proton Authenticator cannot receive SMS codes. * The Conflict: These codes are sent over the cellular network, whereas Proton Authenticator generates codes locally on your device using a mathematical algorithm.
@parismarx Graphic Design: Affinity has been bought - that's Canva now.
I am dearly missing in your list DNS filtering for home networks, e. g. Pi-hole with extensive blocklists, as an effective tool to fight tracking and targeted advertising on the network level, which also protects home appliances w/o a user interface to install AdBlockers (Smart TV, media boxes).
Messengers: Howe about Signal? Bigger user base than Element/Matrix
Browsers: Take a look at Ungoogled Chromium, a very useful fork of Chromium, which combines speed and good functionality for Video Conferencing, and complete deactivation of the Chromium built-in Google services.
@dazzr I explicitly talk about Signal in the messaging section, and Affinity is identified as UK/AU because it was bought by Canva, which is Australian.
@parismarx can I suggest HMD as a Finnish mobile phone manufacturer? https://www.hmd.com/
@parismarx cool guide!
Since it's missing photo&video cloud storage and sharing services, may we recommend ourselves :D
