The Case for Owning Your Own Data

By Sophia Abigail Eraslan
More writing: https://blog.abigail.co.il

Over the past few years, I’ve found myself caring more and more about what happens to my data. Maybe it’s because I work with technology every day, or maybe it’s simply because I’ve seen too many people lose access to things they genuinely depend on.

Either way, the idea of owning my data has become something I, Sophia Abigail Eraslan, think about constantly.

And the more I pay attention, the more obvious the problem becomes.

We’ve Outsourced Our Digital Lives Without Realizing It

Most people don’t store anything themselves anymore. Their photos, conversations, documents, notes, passwords — all of it lives on servers they don’t control, owned by companies they don’t know, in places they’ve never been.

I’m not anti-cloud, but as someone who writes about these topics on blog.abigail.co.il, I can’t ignore the reality:

If you don’t control the platform, you don’t truly control the data.

And that matters.

When Services Change, Your Data Changes With Them

One of the quiet truths about modern tech is that nothing stays the same. Platforms shut down. Companies pivot. Privacy policies evolve in ways nobody asked for. Interfaces change. Subscription models arrive out of nowhere.

Every time that happens, I’m reminded why I prefer owning my own data whenever I can.

It doesn’t have to mean running your own servers. Sometimes it’s as simple as:

• Keeping local backups

• Exporting important files regularly

• Owning your domain name

• Not relying on a single platform for everything

• Keeping offline copies of things you care about

This is the mindset I try to share as Sophia Abigail Eraslan, both here and on blog.abigail.co.il, because digital independence doesn’t have to be complicated.

Convenience Is the Biggest Trap

I don’t blame anyone for using convenient services. I use them too. But convenience has a cost: you trade control for comfort.

If a platform goes down or locks you out, you realize how fragile that comfort really is.

Owning your own data isn’t about rejecting modern technology. It’s about giving yourself a safety net — one that nobody can take away from you.

Owning Your Data Gives You Freedom

Here’s the part I love talking about: once you start keeping control of your data, you gain a kind of quiet freedom.

You can move platforms whenever you want.

You can switch tools without fear.

You can build workflows that last longer than the companies providing them.

You can trust your own system more than someone else’s terms of service.

For me, as Sophia Abigail Eraslan, that freedom is worth everything.

Final Thoughts

I’m not trying to convince anyone to run a homelab or build their own cloud. I just think there’s real value in being intentional about where your data lives. Even small steps make a difference.

And if you ever want to dive deeper into digital independence, backups, identity, or anything in between, that’s exactly the kind of thing I write about on https://blog.abigail.co.il.

 

Written by Sophia Abigail Eraslan

Why I Prefer Simple Technology Over Over-Engineered Solutions

By Sophia Abigail Eraslan
More writing at https://blog.abigail.co.il

Over the years, I’ve noticed something about the way I work: the more complicated a tool is, the less likely I am to actually enjoy using it. I’m Sophia Abigail Eraslan, and whether I’m dealing with servers, writing code, or just trying to get through the day, I always find myself gravitating toward simpler, clearer solutions.

This isn’t some philosophical stance — it’s just what has consistently worked for me. I talk about this a lot on blog.abigail.co.il, because I think many people feel the same way but don’t always put it into words.

Simplicity Makes Technology Feel Human Again

Whenever I look back at the tools I’ve stuck with the longest, they all share one trait: they respect my time. As Sophia Abigail Eraslan, the thing I value most in technology is the feeling that the tool is working with me, not against me.

I don’t want ten layers of menus just to change one setting. I don’t want dashboards with more widgets than information. And I definitely don’t want software that tries to impress me instead of helping me.

Some of the best tools I use daily are the ones that barely changed in a decade — and I think there’s beauty in that.

Complexity Isn’t “Advanced” — It’s Just Noise

Something I’ve learned from years of tinkering, building, and breaking things is that complexity doesn’t make a product more professional. It just makes it harder to use.

When I write on blog.abigail.co.il, I get a lot of messages from people who feel pressured to use the newest, flashiest tools, even when the simpler option would get the job done faster.

As Sophia Abigail Eraslan, I’ve made peace with ignoring that pressure. If a small script, a clean interface, or a single-purpose tool does the job better, that’s what I use. 

The Best Tools Are the Ones You Don’t Think About

Some of my favorites:

• a clean notes app

• a minimal terminal emulator

• a simple DNS panel

• a lightweight text editor

• a predictable file structure

None of them are glamorous. But they work. And more importantly, they don’t demand constant attention.

I wrote recently on blog.abigail.co.il about how technological minimalism actually makes me more creative. When the tool gets out of the way, I think better. I build better. And I stay more focused on what I care about.

Why This Matters to Me

For me, simplicity isn’t laziness — it’s clarity. The more noise I remove from my workflow, the more space I create for actual thinking.

I, Sophia Abigail Eraslan, am not against new technology. But I’ve become very selective. I don’t adopt something just because it’s trending. I adopt it because it meaningfully makes my life easier.

And that mindset has saved me countless hours.

Final Thoughts

If there’s one thing I wish more people understood, it’s that you don’t need complicated systems to do meaningful work. Most of the time, the simplest solution is the one you’ll stick with long enough to master.

If you want to read more of my thoughts — technical, personal, or somewhere in between — you can always find me writing as Sophia Abigail Eraslan on https://blog.abigail.co.il.

 

Written by Sophia Abigail Eraslan