In 1996, I had never used a PC; only the BBC Microcomputers at school in the 1980s, and a ZX81 my father bought me around the same time. In 2004, I gained a masters' degree in Computer Science:

The story of my fight to get to university, 1991-2005

On this site, online empowerment is one of the topics on which I focus. Unfortunately, my words seem to fall largely on deaf ears. For example, most people appear to have very little interest in online free speech. If anything, many seem opposed to it. This is perhaps due to their not understanding the ramifications of a lack of online empowerment. Being opposed to free speech means being opposed to one's own ability to speak freely. Why would any sane person who has information, ideas, and opinions be opposed to having the freedom to talk about them? Perhaps one explanation might be that many are so afraid of speaking freely that they have no intention of doing so. This gives them no vested interest. Yet, free speech is a core principle of empowerment. Without it, we simply have no hope of living full lives. It also goes as far as my being able to use MY DEVICES in ANY WAY I CHOOSE (within the law!) and being able to run any software I so chose - not just that that some corporation with a greedy desire to rule the world, established by some greedy, narcissistic sociopath like Bill Gates, Steeve Jobs or Elon Musk. If I had wanted to live in North Korea, I would have done so.

Others may not be afraid but may simply not see a reason for honest and open discourse. I cannot help feeling sorry for these people. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe said, “None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free”. My guess is that the governments of nearly every country on Earth put out propaganda painting rosy pictures for their citizens of the benefits they receive from subjecting themselves to governmental control. Without opposing voices, many might never even question whether they have been disempowered.

The first requirement for any type of empowerment is recognising that the unspoken sense of unease most of us experience in life is not all in our heads. Chances are that if an individual feels he is being taken advantage of or coerced into doing something that is not in his best interests, then that is exactly what is occurring. His feelings are likely rooted in his real lack of power. This also holds true for online power. One must first see clearly that he is being disempowered on line before he has any hope of doing anything about it.

The second requirement for power is overcoming fear. Fear can often be minimised or even eliminated by taking small steps in the direction of facing the source of one's fear, examining the results of dealing with it, and proceeding in the same direction if they are positive. Where the Internet is concerned, two fears are the fear of speaking out and the fear of visiting the less travelled parts of the Internet that governments and corporations have striven for decades to make us believe are unsafe.

The third requirement for online empowerment is developing strategies for taking back control. We must find ways of freeing ourselves from the corporate overlords of the Internet and also from computer hardware and software vendors whose solutions disempower users. This is not easy because many of these companies believe their profit margins depend on their ability to lock us into their ecosystems and platforms. Apple and Microsoft, are you hearing me?

I recently read an article that postulated that the generation that came of age in the 1980's and perhaps a few years afterward are part of a unique generation. They are the generation that was forced to learn how to use computers. The author called this the Home Computer Generation. When I say "computer" here, I do not mean the locked down devices most of us carry in our pockets today. I mean actual computers, what we sometimes call general-purpose computers. These are nothing more than computers that allow users to do whatever they like, including installing or even writing any software and adding any compatible hardware they need to reach their goals. These computers have no app stores, no TPM modules, and no user monitoring software. People who know how to use computers don't need any of those things.

At this point, many readers may be thinking to themselves, "But, my iPhone does everything I need it to do on line, why would I want anything else?" Those who are thinking this are stuck in Von Goethe's trap. They don't realise they are enslaved. They don't realise everything they cannot do on their iPhones. Rather than going through that long list item by item, I will simply point out that online power is the ability to do and say whatever we choose on line. I am sure when I say this that many immediately conjure up all sorts of dark thoughts - bank robbery, cryptocurrency fraud, ransomware and denial of service attacks, online trolling, the sky falling, dogs and cats living together. Empowerment should not be confused with abuse of power. They are not the same.

Doing or saying whatever an individual chooses on line may include many things, but the point is that he decides. Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon do not. I can think of many things someone might want to say or do on line, but my list would be my list. Each person's list will be revealed to him as he becomes empowered, and becoming empowered is the only way it can be revealed.

The Steps of Online Empowerment

The steps outlined below are not a complete list. Creating such a list is impossible because the process of empowerment is open-ended. What I can say is that those who work diligently through the list below until they reach the end will see where to go from there. As with any program of higher education, one of the things the student should be learning is how to teach himself. He should be learning how to learn. This means both learning how to find answers to his problems on line and learning how to solve them for himself by experimentation.

This is not an expensive process as far as money is concerned. In fact, this process is inexpensive when compared to the piece of hardware that every iPhone owner carries around in his pocket, which Apple strongly encourages him to re-buy every few years by making new iOS versions incompatible with old iPhones. Learning to be empowered will, however, take time. No one can unlearn a lifetime of bad computer habits in a few days.

How many of the steps to online power each person takes is up to him. How fully he takes them is up to him. And what he does with his new online power is up to him. The place to begin is where each individual's current knowledge ends, starting with the first step if necessary and progressing as far as each person chooses. But remember, the more steps an individual progresses through and the more thoroughly he immerses himself in each, the more empowered he will become.

Step 1: Obtain a General-Purpose Computer

The first step to becoming empowered on line is obtaining a computer that is not designed to limit what the owner can do. Not only is a general-purpose computer necessary, so is the courage to experiment with it, perhaps break it, and perhaps break it repeatedly. This means it should be inexpensive. It should not be the owner's primary computer, the one he uses to access the Internet, perform the duties of his job, etc. Ideally, it should be a desktop computer with at least three or four slots for expansion cards. For those who have no clue about how to obtain something like this, I will say that many ten-to-fifteen-year-old Dell Optiplexes fit this bill. Older computers were not designed to limit their owners' free use with things like UEFI firmware, TPM modules, and other more modern inventions for locking them down. Many can be purchased on Ebay for under $100 US. Computers of this age can only hold 8 GB of RAM at most, but that should be sufficient. Be sure to buy one that can be upgraded to 8 GB. This means reading online reviews and manufacturers' specifications for specific models. Also, make sure the computer is fully functional. If you have never owned a general-purpose computer, I suggest you choose one that comes with a Windows operating system (Not Apple!!!). But, remember, this is only the first step. Do not develop an attachment to Windows! It is only a crutch meant to support the beginner until he learns to walk without it. I urge you to move to Linux as soon as you have learned enough!!! Which distrobusion you use is up to you. Research - it is part of free thinking after all!

Those who live in small flats or for some other reason do not have much space may choose to buy a laptop computer instead of a desktop computer, but they are less than ideal - expecially when it comes to upgradability. Ten-to-fifteen-year-old Lenovo Thinkpads and Dell Latitudes are some of the better laptops for our purposes.

Step 2: Become Familiar with Every Part in the Computer

Learn the name and function of each major part of the computer. Learn a little about the technology associated with each and what makes these particular parts compatible with each other. Learn general computer jargon and principles. Learn what an operating system is. Learn what firmware, BIOS, and UEFI are. A pre-owned "Computers for Dummies" book or something similar would probably be useful at this stage. They can be found in many thrift stores and second-hand bookstores. I do not recomment thrift stores as a place to buy computers - but I do recommend them as a good place to get books at little cost!

Step 3: Learn How to Use the Windows Operating System

Learn how to use the Windows operating system to do things like moving files around, reformatting USB drives and hard drives (do not keep your important files on your learning computer!), and running various application software. Learn to remove temporary and corrupted files with programs like Ccleaner that make the computer run more efficiently. Learn the common types of file extensions (.exe, .txt, .jpg, .doc, .tar, .odt, etc). Learn how to download and play music and movie files. Learn how to copy files to an external flash drive. Learn how to run whatever word-processing software comes with the computer. Learn the basic computer software maintenance that is required to keep the computer running at peak performance. Learn how to use the system utilities. Learn how to get to the DOS window and discover some of its uses. Learn how to identify the sources of problems that can prevent the computer from operating correctly and learn how to fix them. Learn how to access the Internet with this computer. Learn about the network settings on the computer. Do not do anything serious like accessing your email or bank account just yet. At this point you probably have neither the knowledge nor the software to do so securely.

Step 4: Learn How to Install Additional Application Software and Operating Systems

Installing application software on a general-purpose computer is sometimes more complicated than the point-and-click installation of software on a smart phone. Learn how to add application software like word processors, multimedia applications, and utilities. Also learn how to install hardware drivers and update the firmware (carefully) so that a wider range of hardware can be used with the computer.

Sometimes the fastest or perhaps only solution to a computer problem is to wipe the hard drive and reinstall the operating system and every piece of software. Today's computers each have tens or hundreds of thousands of operating system files, few of which an average user will know the purpose of. Sometimes when major file corruption occurs the fastest approach to recovering is to start over. Hard drives fail from time to time and must be replaced. Malware that can be installed secretly over the Internet must be removed. Learn how to solve these problems by re-installing Windows using a Windows ISO file. Old versions of Windows that Microsoft no longer supports can be downloaded for free from The Internet Archive and from other sites on the Internet.

Not all application software runs on Windows. Having the ability to install and run additional operating systems brings the added freedom of installing a wider range of software. Quick hint time...

Those who have become disenchanted with paying for expensive software, and then paying for it again every few years, may benefit from learning how to install a different operating system. A vast quantity of free software can run on operating systems that have not been created by for-profit companies. Two such operating systems are Linux and BSD. Of the two, Linux is easier for beginners to use, and it is considerably less buggy than BSD.

Many other reasons exist for using operating systems other than Windows. Some are listed here:

The rollout of Windows 11 was the time I wish I had switched to Linux instead. But can I teach on it? (Later I might experiment to find out.)

Step 5: Learn how to Replace Parts and Upgrade the Computer

A knowledgeable computer consumer is capable of determining exactly what hardware is required to run a particular piece of software. While many consumers, if not most, simply throw unnecessary amounts of money at the problem, hoping for the best, the knowledgeable consumer spends the minimum required to get only what he needs. The power of an old computer can often be increased significantly with a few simple upgrades and often at far less cost than buying a new computer. Learn what can be accomplished by upgrading and when doing so makes sense. Learn how to replace the computer's RAM and hard drive. Add a faster network interface card or USB adapter card. Learn how to work on a computer by taking it completely apart and putting it back together again. Hint: take several pictures before beginning the disassembly. Perhaps upgrade to a more powerful CPU. If the motherboard is incompatible with faster CPU's, older motherboards can often be purchased very inexpensively. Consider the cost/reward ratio of acquiring and installing a better motherboard to enable even more upgrades.

Step 6: Experiment with Multiple Operating Systems

Experimenting with multiple operating systems will result in the understanding that the Windows operating system is neither sacred nor magical. Windows is only one of many operating systems that will run on a PC, and in my opinion Windows is not even a particularly good operating system. Try installing and using a new operating system for two or three months. Then try a different operating system. Try some Linux distributions. Then try BSD. Then try a lesser known operating system like ReactOS or a very old command-line only operating system like DrDOS.

Step 7: Learn the Basics of Computer Security

The lesson to learn here is how to be relatively safe on line. This can be accomplished in a number of ways. Learn what they are. Because this step may take some time, no one should expect to cover it all at once or in the order I have listed here. This is more of an ongoing learning process that never really ends. Peruse the Internet for information on router security, security software, and secure practices. Learn about the benefits of hard drive encryption. Learn how to surf even the most unsafe parts of the Internet relatively safely. Learn about the value of air-gapping. Learn about more secure operating systems. Learn how to use non-persistent bootable USB flash drives for increased security. Learn to distinguish between security practices that actually work and those that are mere security theatre for the uninformed.

Step 8: Explore Previously Unexplored Areas of the Internet

This step will require several months at a minimum.

Corporations and governments have instilled into the general population a fear of the parts of the Internet that they cannot control. This fear has been cultivated over decades, and it will not be eradicated in a couple of days. To lose any residual fear, one must spend enough time exploring the non-corporate Internet, including the so-called darknets.

Having learned to use a general-purpose computer, devised at least a basic strategy for staying relatively secure on line, and learned to make whatever hardware modifications are necessary to install any necessary software, the time has come for exploring the Internet, all of the Internet. This step will greatly enhance an Internet user's ability to achieve online power, including the ability to find sites on the Internet where free speech is still possible. Travel far beyond the borders of the corporate Internet controlled by Facebook and other large social media platforms, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. Visit small online forums that few have ever heard of and see what the users of these forums are discussing. If a particular forum seems interesting, join it anonymously and participate in the conversations that are taking place. Anonymity is still possible outside the walled gardens established by Facebook and the other major social media networks. Learn the feeling of anonymously expressing true opinions. Explore personal websites and read their blogs. Use the Tor network to improve your level of online anonymity while visiting sites on the regular Internet.

Visit alternative networks to the web like Gopher, Gemini (you are there now if you are not using a Gemini to HTTP gateway such as portal.mozz.us), ZeroNet, the Tor Network, I2P, Secure Scuttlebutt, and others. The installation of special software will be required to visit these networks. I found the Tor Browser and the Planetary client for Scuttlebutt in the online Apple Store and the Tor browser and ZeroNet and I2P software in the Google Play Store. I was not able to find a browser for the Gopher or Gemini networks in either store (update: Gopher has Diggiedog and Gophercle now, and Gemini has Deedum (Deedum is the only Gemini browser I know to now be available in both stores). This is better than I expected, but remember that any software in the online Apple or Google stores is susceptible to the whims of their management and the government of the country in which one lives; hence, this software could disappear from these stores at any time. The point of a general-purpose computer is to be able to obtain this software from any source. The Lagrange browser is my personal favourite, and it supports both Gemini and Gopher. It is available for Wondows, Macintosh, Linux and Android (for Android it is only available as a .APK file - I host it at https://dfdn.info/downloads as well as at official sites; you will need to change a setting to install apps not from Google play - be careful what apps you do install; but I even have it installed on an Android phone bought in China! Unfortunately, it is not available for IOS at time of writing).

Step 9: Create a Personal Website

Creating a website is the next step in becoming empowered on the Internet. This will allow more opportunities for free expression on the open Internet in ways that social media sites will not. The owner of a personal website can do anything from keeping an online diary to selling a product to creating his own forum. On a personal website, one does not have to follow anyone else's rules. He makes his own.

Creating a personal website will require new knowledge. Fortunately, many online guides can be found. Unfortunately, most have been written either to guide corporations or to trap individuals into an ecosystem. Do not be distracted by either. Learn how to create a website without giving up any freedom. https://dfdn.info for example runs on a Raspberry PI which consumes just 2 watts of power and - among other things - runs Apache webserver.

One approach that ensures the retention of freedom is to obtain a domain name from a domain name provider and write a simple static website by hand in HTML. This allows the creation of a website without relying on the services of a blogging platform like Medium or WordPress or any software other than an operating system like Linux and web server software like Apache, Nginx, or Lighttpd. Approaching website design this way prevents one from becoming locked into a platform or a software ecosystem. And you pay only for the hardware used - in my case, an inexpensive Raspberry PI computer.

Most who avoid platforms like Medium, Neocities, Blogger, and WordPress do so by renting a shared server (called a VPS) from a hosting company. VPS's can be rented for as little as a few US dollars a month for low-traffic websites. While this is a good way to begin a personal website, the best solution from an empowerment standpoint is self hosting on a server in one's physical possession. For technical reasons, my Gopher and Gemini sites are hosted on one until I leave China. This is due to the server in London having a faulty SD card which I cannot replace; as a temporary measure I use hostwinds; the space used by https://dfdn.info is costly, so I have https://dfdnline.org temporarily on a Raspberry PI via a Cloudfare tunnel as I cannot work out how to port forward on a Chinese router! This device has a mirror of gopher://dfdn.info and gemini://dfdn.info and will become the primary server after I leave China. This was purchased in China also!

Step 10: Self Host a Personal Website

In order to experience the maximum amount of freedom with a personal website, one must not rely on others to provide hosting services. Relying on them means following their rules, including those that may limit free speech, and being subject to other limitations they impose. Those limitations include a limited selection of computer operating systems and software. When a hosting company hosts a user's website, he is still a user, not a true owner because he is still subject to what is convenient for their business, not what is convenient for him or necessary to have the website he wants.

Learning to self host means learning the "backend" of how a web server works. It means building or buying a server that is appropriate for a personal website, not one that is designed for a corporate data center. A personal server may be anything from a $70 Raspberry Pi computer to an old laptop or desktop computer that has been sitting unused in a closet. Whatever it is, it should meet the goals the website owner has for it. A $20,000 server that a large company might purchase is totally inappropriate for hosting a personal website. Learning to self host also means learning how to install and configure webserver software and any other specialised database software or other software that may be required. It also means learning how to ensure that the server will continue to operate and protect its data from theft and corruption.

Step 11: Learn a Programming Language

As one gains experience running his own website, he will learn more about the limitations inherent in the software he uses. Often, a website owner will not be able to find software that does exactly what he wants for a reasonable price. Free software designed specifically for websites usually has some kind of non-monetary price. Often this price is siphoning off the data of a website's visitors. These limitations can be overcome, and often surprisingly easily, simply by knowing how to write a few dozen or a few hundred lines of code. For example, I wrote a user comment code and code for a forum which I may need in future. Because I wrote my own code, no visitors to the future website are tracked by third parties. This means readers can make completely anonymous comments. They do not need to worry about being monitored by a company like Facebook or Discord. I know this for a fact because I wrote the code.

Ideal programming languages to learn are those that can be used to create websites. PHP and JavaScript are the two that come to mind first, but others can also be used. Do the research required to make a good choice of a language to learn. Please do not abuse Javascript to track your users or bombard them with rubbish. This will drive users away.

Increasingly, computer hardware, application software, operating systems, and social media platforms are all being designed to disempower us, including taking away our opportunities for free speech. Online empowerment begins with a commitment to take back our online power. Speaking freely on the Internet requires freeing ourselves of the fear of finding the sites and tools necessary to do so. We must learn to do more that just accept the standard solutions that corporations provide (this is why I do not use Wordpress, for example). We must find unadvertised solutions and acquire enough knowledge about computer hardware, software, and non-corporate websites to use them or to create our own. The process of self empowerment on the Internet requires, not money, but time and a willingness to learn. Hopefully, at least a few who have read these words have enough desire to make the commitment that ultimately leads to online power.