Hills and valleys: My Journey Away from Big Tech
I will take you on my adventure to switch from Big Tech software to more reliable, European or open-source alternatives. I honestly share my experience with you: successes, setbacks and challenges. Along the way, I encounter obstacles, such as hardware that doesn't work, services that cost money, and people who don't understand my choice. I share everything so that you can learn and enjoy this journey. Are you coming with me?
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Too good to be true?
I remember exactly when the penny fell. I was preparing for my Microsoft Fabric certification and thought: “If you have this, why would you ever use anything else? This system can and does anything.” And then I was shocked. Because that's exactly the problem. It works so well, so seamlessly, that it puts us to sleep.
‘Vendor lock-in does not start with flaws, but with perfection.’
The comfort pit of Big Tech
Switching from Big Tech to open source or European alternatives is not an easy journey. Things work less well, less naturally. Sometimes they just don't work. And often the biggest bump is not the technology, but the people around you. Colleagues, customers, friends: they do not understand your choice, do not want to participate, or simply find ‘another app’ too much trouble.
“The hardest thing about changing is not the software, but the context.”
Why is good not good enough?
I often hear it: “But it just works well, doesn’t it?” Yeah, that's right. That's what makes it so insidious. Large tech companies have optimized their products to perfection. But if you let something work too well, you don't ask questions anymore. And if you don't ask questions, you give up your autonomy unnoticed.
“The boundary between ease of use and dependency is wafer-thin.”
The New Triangle
We are all familiar with the classic triangle in project management: Functional, Proven Technology, Affordable. But what if we replace the third one? What if instead of looking at costs, we look at moral maturity? Since I did that, my whole mindset has changed. Just as I am willing to compromise on functionality if something is cheaper, I am now willing to accept something less user-friendly if it is ethically correct.
“Moral maturity is not a luxury. It is a prerequisite for digital autonomy.”
Three values as compass
I now test technology on three axes:
- Functional maturity — does it do what I need?
- Technical maturity — is it stable, maintainable, proven?
- Moral maturity — Does it respect my rights and values?
Applying this framework makes choosing easier and more meaningful. Not because the world is black and white, but because your principles only become visible when you let them count.
“Anyone who does not take his principles into account will eventually let them go.”
An Invitation to Reconsider
I hope that with this story I encourage people and organizations to think. You don't have to renounce Big Tech immediately. But late moral maturity It's not the end of your decision-making. Put it on the front. Make it part of your conversation. Because only then will you build truly future-proof technology.
“Those who take ethics with them only afterwards programme their own dependence.”
English (UK)