Top FOSS Tools I Use in 2025
Intro
This post is the blog version of this Mastodon toot.
Operating System (OS)
Linux Mint: simple, works out of the box, familiar user interface (UI), European.
A great GNU/Linux OS for beginners.
Tuta Email: privacy-focused, secure, European.
Also available the Tuta Calendar app and the contacts feature.
Drive
Filen: encrypted, OS integration available (including Linux), European.
Notes
Tangent Notes: great alternative to Obsidian (not FOSS), displays images and has a cool graph feature to see the journey through your notes.
Browser
Both options are privacy-focused browsers based on Firefox, so with a Mozilla account you can sync your bookmarks and other options across devices. However, they are not affiliated with Mozilla - which can be a good thing for many. If one option breaks websites for you, you can use the other one. Waterfox works great on smartphones.
Search
All 3 search options privacy-focused and are an excellent choice. Mojeek has already an active independent index, making it a true alternative compared to others Big Tech options - it is UK-based. On top of this, there is a new cooperation between Ecosia and Qwant to create a European web index.1
Social
Some come from X/Twitter, some come for the Open Source nature, some just want a social network built for the social aspect and not to offer personal data to Big Tech. Mastodon is part of the fediverse.2
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