In this episode of The Deep Dive, the focus is on LibreBooking, an open-source resource scheduling solution designed for organizations of all sizes. The discussion explores what LibreBooking is, how it works, and why it stands out compared to commercial alternatives.

LibreBooking is a flexible system for managing reservable resources such as meeting rooms, lab equipment, company vehicles, and even staff time slots. It goes far beyond a simple shared calendar. Key features include multi-resource booking (reserving multiple items in a single transaction), automated waitlists for high-demand resources, role-based access control, and quota/credit systems to ensure fair usage across teams.

A major advantage of LibreBooking is its GPL 3.0 open-source license, which guarantees freedom and control. Organizations are not locked into a vendor—if the project were ever discontinued, they would still have full access to the code and the right to modify and maintain it themselves. This eliminates the risk of price hikes or service shutdowns typical of proprietary software.

The platform is actively developed, with strong community engagement on GitHub. Originally forked from Booked Scheduler in 2020, LibreBooking has since evolved into an independent and modern solution. It offers a responsive Bootstrap 5 interface that works smoothly on phones, tablets, and desktops, and supports branding customization.

Integration is another strength. LibreBooking supports calendar synchronization with Outlook and Thunderbird via iCal (.ics) files. It also provides powerful reporting tools that transform booking data into actionable insights. For advanced use cases, it supports API access and enterprise integrations like OAuth2 and SAML for single sign-on.

For beginners, the episode highlights the public live demo, which requires no installation and resets every 20 minutes—making it a risk-free way to explore both admin and user perspectives. Deployment options include traditional manual installation or a simplified Docker-based setup, which is recommended for most new users.

The project maintains an active community via Discord and GitHub, welcoming both developers and non-coders to contribute through testing, bug reporting, and feedback. Security is also maintained through regular updates, such as the recent upgrade to reCAPTCHA v3.

Overall, the episode concludes that LibreBooking is a stable, scalable, and community-driven alternative to commercial scheduling tools. It offers enterprise-level features without vendor lock-in, giving organizations long-term control over their digital infrastructure.

The episode closes with a thank-you to the sponsor, SafeServer, for supporting the discussion on digital transformation and hosting solutions.

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In this episode of The Deep Dive, we explore one of the most urgent questions of our time: What does true digital freedom look like in an age dominated by centralized platforms?

Our focus is Hyphanet (formerly Freenet), a long-running peer-to-peer network built to resist censorship and protect privacy. Unlike traditional websites that rely on centralized servers—easy targets for shutdowns or surveillance—Hyphanet distributes encrypted data fragments across thousands of independent nodes worldwide. There is no single point of failure, no central authority, and no easy way to censor content.

We unpack how this decentralized system works, powered by its core engine, the Freenet Reference Daemon (FRED), and explain the key design decisions behind it—like its use of Java for cross-platform stability and resilience.

The episode also explores Hyphanet’s two connection modes:

OpenNet, which offers accessible entry into the global network

Friend-to-Friend (F2F) mode, a highly secure model where users connect only to trusted contacts, creating an invisible, private web resistant to surveillance

We go even further into extreme scenarios—such as regional internet shutdowns—highlighting the innovative “ShoeShop” plugin, which enables encrypted data exchange via physical transfer (a modern “sneakernet”).

Beyond the technology, we reflect on the deeper philosophy driving Hyphanet: a commitment to freedom of expression, decentralized power, and the idea that digital freedom ultimately depends on real-world trust and human relationships.

This episode is a practical and philosophical exploration of how peer-to-peer technology can reshape the future of communication—and what role we each play in strengthening that freedom.

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In this episode of The Deep Dive, we explore how hybrid work has fundamentally transformed the modern office — and why the traditional assigned desk is quickly becoming a relic of the past. As companies adopt flexible work models, they face a complex logistical challenge: how do you manage expensive office space efficiently when employees come and go on different schedules?

To unpack this, we take a closer look at SeatSurfing, a workplace management platform designed to solve exactly that problem.

At its core, the software allows employees to easily book desks, rooms, or workspaces on demand. Instead of permanently assigned seating, organizations operate more like internal co-working spaces. The goal is simple but critical: maximize office utilization while ensuring that employees who come in still have a guaranteed place to work.

From the employee perspective, ease of use is everything. The platform promises frictionless booking in seconds, accessible via desktop, mobile, or directly inside tools like Microsoft Teams and Confluence. Built as a Progressive Web Application (PWA), it behaves like a native app without requiring complex installation — combining speed, accessibility, and simplicity.

On the administrative side, the software offers powerful tools for managing office layouts. Administrators can upload floor plans, configure desks and meeting rooms visually, and transform static maps into live availability dashboards. The system is designed to scale — from small teams experimenting with hybrid work (with a free plan for up to 10 users) to large enterprises.

Strategically, what makes SeatSurfing especially interesting is its dual approach:

A fully managed cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) option for convenience and ease.

An open-source backend available on GitHub for organizations that require full control, customization, or compliance transparency.

Technically, the backend is built in Go for performance and scalability, while the frontend uses modern web technologies like TypeScript and React. Self-hosting is supported via Docker Compose, making deployment accessible — though careful attention to security (such as immediately changing default admin credentials) is essential.

Ultimately, this episode highlights something bigger than desk booking software. It illustrates how digital transformation is reshaping physical workspaces. Offices are becoming dynamic, bookable resources — searchable, flexible, and optimized in real time.

And it raises a final thought: if desks and meeting rooms can now be managed on demand, what’s next? Parking spaces? Company cars? Lab equipment? Are we moving toward a fully on-demand office environment?

A fascinating look at how technology is redefining the way we use physical space in the hybrid work era.

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In this episode, we explore the concept of “naked blogging” through the platform Materoa — a minimalist, privacy-focused alternative to the modern content ecosystem.

Materoa positions itself as a reaction against today’s internet culture, which it criticizes as overloaded with ads, invasive tracking, analytics obsession, and visual clutter. Instead, it promotes a radically simple blogging experience centered purely on text, typography, and thoughtful writing. No ads. No tracking. No pop-ups. No social sharing buttons. Just words.

A particularly bold stance the platform takes is discouraging writers from checking analytics. Materoa argues that metrics like page views and clicks often fuel ego and distort creativity. By removing analytics entirely, the platform encourages writers to focus on intrinsic motivation — writing for meaning rather than performance. This philosophy is reflected in a quote from Jorge Luis Borges: “What I’m really concerned about is reaching one person — and that person may be myself.”

From a usability standpoint, Materoa keeps things simple. Users can launch a blog in under a minute, write in Markdown, and publish on a clean subdomain (e.g., username.materoa.blog). Privacy is central: no tracking cookies, no ads, and not even an email address is required to sign up.

Importantly, Materoa also protects users from platform lock-in. Writers can export their content at any time, including formats compatible with static site generators like Hugo or Zola. Premium users even receive automatic monthly backups. The platform supports domain redirection if users decide to leave, reinforcing its commitment to true digital ownership.

Financially, Materoa operates on a transparent model. Most features are free, while a premium plan costs just $9 per year. Five percent of premium revenue supports CO₂ removal initiatives. The entire codebase is open source under the Affero GPL license, allowing anyone to verify its no-tracking claims or even run their own instance.

Behind the minimalist interface lies a robust technical infrastructure built with Django (a Python web framework), PostgreSQL (a reliable database system), and tools like Docker to simplify deployment and contribution. While this backend may seem complex, it ensures stability, security, and long-term freedom for users.

The episode concludes by reflecting on an apparent paradox: although Materoa promotes radical simplicity on the surface, it relies on powerful and sophisticated technology underneath. The takeaway? True digital freedom and minimalism require a strong and reliable foundation.

In short, Materoa offers a deliberate alternative to mainstream blogging — a space where writing matters more than metrics, privacy outweighs profit, and ownership remains in the hands of the author.

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In this episode of The Deep Dive, we explore one of the biggest challenges in talent management: employee onboarding. From scattered spreadsheets to overwhelming information dumps, traditional onboarding processes are often chaotic, especially for fast-growing or remote teams.

We take a closer look at Chief Onboarding, an independent, European-based open source platform designed to replace this chaos with a structured, step-by-step journey. Instead of treating onboarding as administrative paperwork, the platform focuses on designing a meaningful first employee experience.

At the core of the system are customizable “blueprints” — drag-and-drop onboarding workflows that align HR, IT, managers, and team buddies in one centralized process. Through “sequences,” tasks are delivered gradually, either time-based or triggered by completion of previous steps, preventing information overload for new hires.

The platform includes features such as pre-boarding preparation, task tracking, training resources, motivational badges, structured introductions for remote teams, multilingual support, and timezone adjustments. It also integrates with other tools through automated provisioning and webhooks, enabling seamless collaboration with payroll systems and other software.

As an AGPL v3 licensed open source solution, Chief Onboarding offers transparency, flexibility, and data control. Organizations can self-host the platform or choose professional hosting and support, striking a balance between independence and convenience.

The episode concludes with a key question: If onboarding is structured, personalized, and stress-free from day one, how much faster can new hires become productive—and how significantly could that impact long-term talent retention?

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In this episode of The Deep Dive, we explore how dependent our daily lives have become on digital calendars—and what it really means to rely on big tech platforms to manage something as essential as our time.

The focus is on DAViCal, an open-source calendar server that implements the CalDAV protocol. At its core, DAViCal acts as a self-hosted cloud for calendar data. Instead of locking users into proprietary ecosystems, it relies on open standards that ensure interoperability across a wide range of applications—including Mozilla Calendar, Evolution, Apple Calendar (iCal), and iOS.

The episode breaks down two key standards:

This combination guarantees compatibility and freedom from vendor lock-in.

A major theme of the discussion is digital sovereignty. DAViCal is licensed under the GPL (General Public License), meaning users are free to use, study, modify, and share the software. This ensures transparency, long-term sustainability, and full control over sensitive calendar data.

The episode also highlights enterprise-level features that make DAViCal comparable to Microsoft Exchange or Google Workspace:

From a technical standpoint, DAViCal requires:

The developers recommend running it on open-source operating systems like Linux or FreeBSD, noting that such infrastructure performs best in open environments.

Beyond the software itself, the episode emphasizes the strength of its community-driven model. Contributions go far beyond coding—documentation, translations, user support, and feature design are all essential. This reflects the broader philosophy behind the project: open collaboration over corporate control.

The episode concludes by zooming out to a bigger question:

Ultimately, DAViCal represents more than just a tool. It embodies a commitment to digital independence, interoperability, and long-term ownership of your own data.

Let’s have a look at your digital challenges together. What tools are you currently using? Are your processes optimal? How is the state of backups and security updates?

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What if you could run your own chat platform — secure, open source, and fully under your control?

In this episode, we dive into Synapse, the powerful home server behind the Matrix network. But this isn’t just a technical walkthrough — it’s about digital independence. What does it really mean to host your own communication infrastructure? And how hard is it, actually?

We break down the difference between Matrix (the open protocol) and Synapse (the server software that makes it real), explain why one small domain mistake can create a massive security risk, and uncover why decentralization still relies — at least for now — on a few centralized identity services.

You’ll learn:

Whether you’re just curious about self-hosting or seriously considering running your own server, this episode filters out the noise and gives you the clarity you need to get started — safely.

Because owning your communication isn’t just a technical decision. It’s a strategic one.

Ready to rethink how chat works? 🎧

Let’s have a look at your digital challenges together. What tools are you currently using? Are your processes optimal? How is the state of backups and security updates?

Digital Souvereignty is easily achived with Open Source software (which usually cost way less, too). Our division Safeserver offers hosting, operation and maintenance for countless Free and Open Source tools.

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This episode of The Deep Dive explores the world of hospitality technology, focusing on how the open-source platform QloApps is challenging traditional proprietary hotel software systems.

Hotels rely on complex software to manage real-time room inventory, pricing, reservations, loyalty programs, and distribution across platforms like Booking.com and Expedia. Traditionally, these systems have been proprietary, expensive, and restrictive, often locking hotel owners into costly annual licensing agreements.

QloApps represents a major strategic shift. It is a completely free and open-source solution that combines three essential components:

A key feature is the Channel Manager, which automatically synchronizes room rates and availability across multiple online travel agencies in real time. This prevents overbooking and revenue loss. The system also includes advanced features such as restaurant and POS management, online check-in, loyalty systems, housekeeping modules, GDPR compliance tools, SEO optimization, and even a marketplace function that allows hotel owners to create their own booking platforms.

Technically, QloApps is built mainly in PHP and runs on standard web hosting environments. It is licensed under OSL 3.0, meaning users can modify and distribute the software, but improvements must remain open-source. This ensures community-driven development while keeping the system free.

The project is primarily maintained by Webcool, combining open-source collaboration with professional support services such as hosting, training, and 24/7 assistance. Strong community engagement (e.g., thousands of GitHub stars) reflects significant developer interest and adoption.

The main takeaway: QloApps is not just free software — it represents a fundamental change in the business model of hotel technology. It reduces dependency on expensive vendors, lowers operational costs, gives businesses ownership of their data, and offers flexibility that proprietary systems often cannot.

The episode concludes by raising a broader question: If open-source software can successfully manage something as complex as hotel operations, what other expensive and specialized industries might be next to experience similar disruption?

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The text presents a deep-dive discussion of Prism Analytics, a modern, privacy-focused web analytics platform positioned as an alternative to traditional systems like Google Analytics.

Prism is described as open source, built in the Go programming language for high performance, and designed from the ground up with privacy and data ownership in mind. A key selling point is its strong compliance with regulations such as GDPR and Schrems II, which often allows websites to operate without cookie banners. This reduces legal complexity, improves user experience, and may increase conversion rates.

The platform emphasizes simplicity and speed. Setup reportedly takes only three minutes, and its tracking script is extremely small (around 2 kilobytes), making it about 22 times smaller than many competitors. This improves website load times and benefits SEO. An even lighter 35-byte pixel tracking option is available for environments where JavaScript is restricted.

Prism uses a “progressive analytics” model: users start with basic metrics and can scale up to advanced tracking, including custom events, funnels, and geomaps. Unlike many platforms that limit reporting to predefined dashboards, Prism provides direct SQL API access. This allows full access to raw data and integration with external tools like NumPy and Pandas, giving users complete flexibility and control.

Performance is another major highlight. Prism processes data in real time, unlike some competitors that may delay reporting by 24–48 hours. It also includes automatic bot and spam filtering through a feature called “Humans Only.” Technical benchmarks from GitHub indicate the system can handle over 50,000 requests per second.

The platform is built using open-source tools such as Grafana (for dashboards) and ClickHouse (for high-performance data storage). Users can either use Prism’s cloud service or self-host the software, avoiding vendor lock-in and retaining full ownership of their data.

The core message is that Prism represents a shift in web analytics: instead of treating user data as the product (as with many free analytics platforms), it sells software and service while ensuring privacy, speed, long-term data retention, and total user control.

The final reflection questions the hidden costs of using “free” analytics tools that monetize customer data instead of prioritizing data ownership and privacy.

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The deep dive introduces Grimoire, an open-source, self-hosted bookmark manager that goes beyond saving simple links. Instead of just storing URLs like traditional browser bookmarks, Grimoire saves the full content of webpages locally, preventing issues such as link rot, paywalls, or site changes. This transforms bookmarks into a personal, permanent research library that users fully control.

A major focus of Grimoire is privacy and ownership. Because it is open source (MIT licensed) and designed for self-hosting, users are not dependent on third-party companies. Their data remains secure and under their own control.

Grimoire offers practical features such as:

Although self-hosting may seem intimidating, Grimoire simplifies setup using Docker and Docker Compose, which package the application and its dependencies into containers. Installation typically requires editing a configuration file and running a single command. Updates are also straightforward. Existing users upgrading from version 0.3.x to 0.4 must use a built-in migration tool due to structural changes.

Looking ahead, the roadmap includes AI features (such as automatic summaries and tag suggestions), optional public profiles and bookmark sharing, and a new concept called “Flows.” Flows would allow users to organize bookmarks in structured sequences, turning collections of links into guided learning paths or research projects.

Overall, Grimoire aims to shift bookmarking from passive link saving to active knowledge building. It encourages users to reclaim control of their information and transform scattered bookmarks into structured, long-term knowledge assets.

Let’s have a look at your digital challenges together. What tools are you currently using? Are your processes optimal? How is the state of backups and security updates?

Digital Souvereignty is easily achived with Open Source software (which usually cost way less, too). Our division Safeserver offers hosting, operation and maintenance for countless Free and Open Source tools.

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