I have been building computers and tinkering with tech for over 25 years. I like to know how things work, how to repair them, and how to make them better suit my needs. I am rarely happy with off-the-shelf stock setups, and I am a big proponent of open-source projects, the right-to-repair movement, and DIY maker communities. The result has been a lifetime of endless tinkering, customization, and exploration of the boundaries of tech. Once upon a time, I was a lead contractor at Google Maps, managing the international moderation team that oversaw the accuracy of user edits worldwide, teaching the team how to use Linux machines, and serving as the team’s liaison for internal tech support. The big G machine was not for me, and these days I prefer to be a gun for hire — solving the weird problems that many won’t tackle and that few are willing to take on.
I’ve modified desktop cases with a jigsaw to cut out windows and install glow LEDs before such things were prefabricated. I’ve built and maintained my own water-cooling loops for an overclocked 3D animation rendering machine. I’ve rebuilt and heavily customized my 3D printer to really fine-tune it into a Ferrari. I’ve modified PlayStations in ways that let’s just say would not make Sony happy. I’ve set up travel VPNs so people can travel, connect to any internet connection in the world, and look like they are working from their home desk. My most recent focus has been on building personal encrypted cloud servers so I don’t have to rely on or pay Google or Apple to store my photos and data, and so they can also serve as personal media servers, amongst other things.
Why Work Directly With Me?
The Geek Squad and Genius Bar have their time and place, but there is a lot they don’t offer. They aren’t going to setup a pi-hole so that every device connect to your home network doesn’t get served ads & reduce tracking telemetry, they won’t show you how to get you off data broker lists, they aren’t going to setup your own cloud photo server, they aren’t going to fix your 3D printer (or teach you how to use it), they won’t set you up with own your own email domain and host it privately, they won’t setup a travel VPN, and they aren’t going to teach you about strong digital security hygiene using password managers & hardware keys. I will give you my full attention, honest advice, and follow up with you. I’m not a master of everything I do (there’s simply too much to know), but I know how to find answers and figure things out. Problem-solving is the name of the game.
Privacy First
I’ve built my own infrastructure around privacy — running Proton Mail with my own domain, using hardware security keys, e-mail aliases, and maintaining a largely de-Googled workflow (the big G is hard to fully pull away from, but a worthy struggle). I have spent a lot of time doing the heavy lifting of trying different services and comparing them, and can tell you the pros and cons of many of them. Security is one of those things that has become increasingly important, and unfortunately, more and more of a luxury. If you want privacy and own your data as much as possible, it comes at a literal cost. It is also a personal decision and preference on how far to take it, as the more private and secure you are, the more time-consuming and inconvenient it becomes. I can help you streamline things for sure, but ultimately, what that line is depends on everyone’s needs. I’ll help you go over pros and cons and guide you to the system that is right for you.
The Maker Side
Beyond IT, I build things: 3D printed parts, custom PCBs, stop-motion animation rigs, molded props, and whatever else needs making. That hands-on experience means I think differently about problems — and I can fix things most techs won’t touch. I also just like making really cool things, so maybe you have a digital art project you need help with. If I can’t help you, I certainly know people who can, and we can make your dream a reality. We can certainly talk about the big technology of the day: AI. Simultaneously, the most over-and-under hyped technology of our day. Learn how to use it to help with what I think is best: coding. Assisting with website design, programming arduinos, 3D printing, custom programs, plugins, and more. We can’t know it all, but the assistance in making your dreams a reality has never been easier.
// Get In Touch
Ready to fix something or want to get something set up? eric@digitalrivets.net