I’ve never done much in the way of web hosting or development. I ran a more “professional” tech blog a long time ago, but that’s about as far into it as I got. I’ve never messed around with SQL, PHP, SSL certificates or different DNS configurations. I just ran a Wordpress site on Hostgator during the Web 2.0 days. Digg.com was still where you went to updoot links and Reddit was just a weird back alley of the internet back then. Crypto still referred to actual cryptography and not some kind of shitty Kohl’s Cash on a blockchain.

The landscape has changed.

…or maybe it hasn’t. Like I said, I have no fucking idea what I’m doing.

I set up a shared hosting plan on Namecheap because that’s where my domains are. It was something like $24 for the first year so I figured what the hell. Initially, I just wanted it to host media and fonts but on second thought, I don’t really care about all that. I don’t host any photos or videos and I’m just using Google Fonts for now. But there’s so much you can do with your own little server. I set up an ownCloud instance and that was pretty cool. You can set up your own RSS services, different blogging software if you want to self-host, your own forum, or even Python scripts. It’s nice to know you can host whatever you want if Big Tech alternatives aren’t working for you.

My path of destruction

First, I went on a SSL certificate rampage. I kept installing them to the wrong place and screwed up a bunch of configurations. They were multiplying like cockroaches and I had no idea how to set them up right or even get rid of them. Private Relay and Firefox both prevented me from continuing to my shady looking unsecured websites. Needless to say, I spent a little while talking to tech support.

For a minute there, I felt like a fucking idiot. I was about ready to rage quit and get a refund like some kind of cyber Karen. Then I realized this shit is not easy and there’s a learning curve, whether I like it or not. You can’t just dive in head first and start twisting knobs and mashing buttons and expect everything to go off without a hitch.

I saw the light

But all of this made me realize something: server admins are drastically underappreciated. All you have to do is type in a cute little web address and it brings you to Mastodon or Pixelfed, or maybe to Peertube. Even platforms like Micro.blog and Bear are ran by actual people who simply love being a part of the open web. They put in a lot of work to give us cool things that are free of ads and invasive tracking junk.

If you use anything run by a real person, donate when you can afford it. They deal with a lot of fucking headaches for minimal rewards other than bragging rights and a sense of accomplishment. I couldn’t even figure out how to do some of the most basic things without spending days breaking stuff and falling into rabbit holes of information I didn’t think would matter.

I still have a passion to learn, just at a more realistic pace. And with more appreciation for the people who are constantly building and improving this magical worldwide network. Thank you <3