Tag: privacy

The eli4d Gazette – Issue 071: Warp VPN from Cloudflare and an Open Office Survey

Warp VPN from Cloudflare

This article came out on April 1st, so initially, it was hard to tell if it was for ‘real’. But it’s real and Matthew Prince (Cloudflare’s) CEO wasn’t joking.

So what’s the big deal?

  • The internet by default is insecure. Even worse is the internet that we access through our phones. Besides the usual data aggregators that collect personal data and use it for their advertisement business, phone companies are also in the business of doing this.
  • VPN technology extends privacy from your phone to the specific site that you’re surfing. It prevents snooping by entities like phone companies or any other intermediaries.
  • VPN providers provide a valuable service. The problem is:
    1. Trust – how trustworthy are these companies? What prevents them from packaging your data and selling it? (Answer: nothing; and you wouldn’t know it)
    2. For mobile phones, VPN software typically drains the battery and provides a slower experience.
  • Cloudflare is starting to provide a VPN service named Warp that doesn’t suck from a privacy and performance perspective. The Cloudflare article mentioned above explains the detail

If you care about your data and your privacy you should explore using the 1.1.1.1 service (apps available for iOS and Android) on your mobile phone and placing yourself on the Warp waitlist.

I’ve been using the 1.1.1.1 app since it was announced (to provide DNS privacy) and it’s worked flawlessly.

Open Offices and Lack of Deep Work

I remember reading the book Peopleware a long time ago, and it explained how cubicles were a bad idea for knowledge workers (much less open offices). A recent survey confirms the same thing:

There are many monetary reasons for open office design including the cost for the corporate tenant, and making it easier for the building’s owner to reconfigure the space for leasing to different tenants. The only light at the end of the open office tunnel that I can see is that it may accelerate the adoption of remote work.

You can find the newsletter archive at https://eli4d.com/category/newsletter/ and the blog at eli4d.com.

Thoughts? Feedback? Let me know: @eli4d on Twitter

The eli4d Gazette – Issue 023

Issue 023: 2017-02-15

Privacy? What is the meaning of privacy in our digital world? Is anything truly private once it is in digital form?

The Note to Self podcast explores this very issue through a great 5-day plan that covers the issues of privacy and provides exercises that help you become aware of the privacy (or lack thereof) in your life. There is a dedicated site for this plan at the privacy paradox website. Just sign up with your email, and you’re good to go. And in case you were wondering – there is a very clear and concise privacy policy about the project.

Thoughts? Feedback? Let me know: @eli4d on Twitter