This is a test on notnapoleon.net

Changes to my website

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Ditching self-hosted email

With my previous web server, I had been using Luke Smith’s emailwiz script. However, I abandoned it for two reasons:

The script hasn’t been updated in a few years, so I ran into issues. I can’t remember if the issues were with postfix or dovecot, but I wasn’t able to resolve it.
If I sent an email to someone using a mainstream mail service (e.g., Gmail, Outlook), it would be flagged as spam, even if they’re the one who initiated the conversation and I’m simply replying.

Why I post to Odysee and PeerTube

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Brief Explanation

I should probably explain a little about what Odysee and PeerTube actually are and why I post there. The short answer is because YouTube has a bunch of problems, but that doesn’t explain why I post there specifically as supposed to other platforms.

Odysee and PeerTube are both decentralised “video-sharing platforms” (it’s a bit more complicated than that), but the way they are decentralised is different. Odysee is a video-sharing platform which uses the LBRY network. PeerTube on the other hand is a self-hosted ActivityHub video streaming platform.

Support my work!

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Donate crypto

Bitcoin (BTC): bc1pge5g8f9ls8s6e7c83rvs6xlwhzd9vn4asaat87u5ks3622hgnqvqdkt7rx

Monero (XMR): 46t2XcCdTRg7pdoj8nf5f66wFHSWCnrBhCxLxKdgdNxgPMn5wfsdGkaGiQB8NikJYaVcwXFpF9GBwLLLwwjAeZ1U44A5eWM

Donate fiat

Frequently Asked Questions

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 03:37:45 +0000

What’s in a name?

Taz: This is just a pseudonym with no real meaning.
NotNapoleon: Just a username, it has absolutely no meaning, it just sounded good because of alliteration.

Is your email for personal or business use?

It’s for both so feel free to say hi!

Are you open to sponsorships?

Yes, but I’m a bit picky since there are a lot of bad sponsors out there. Still, it doesn’t hurt to ask.

About Me

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:54:10 +0000

The Basics

Howdy, my name is Taz! 🤠

I’m a tech nerd and content creator from the United Kingdom. I post all sorts of stuff, but much of it evolves around GNU/Linux (and other UNIX-like systems), Free Software, Privacy, and Self-Hosting.

I post my content to YouTube, Odysee, and PeerTube. For a long time, I went under the name GNULectures, but recently (March 2026) renamed it to NapoleonTech because I felt GNULectures sounded too formal and people had issues finding my channel.

Why I don't like Discord

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

It’s proprietary software

Discord is not under a Free Software license (e.g., GPL, MIT, BSD) and it is bound by a strict Terms of Service.

The source code for the Discord client isn’t publicly available, meaning there’s no way to tell what it’s actually doing, you just have to trust the claims Discord makes. Discord’s Terms of Service prohibit arbitrary things about how you can use the software (e.g., it’s against Discord’s Terms of Service to use third-party clients).

Common Tech Myths

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Using the dark web is illegal

This does depend on the country, but in most western countries such as the US, simply visiting the dark web is not illegal. What is illegal is using the dark web for illegal activities like selling drugs (like it is on the clear web or in person).

There are also legitimate and ethical reasons to use the dark web, perhaps the most obvious is bypassing surveillance and censorship in other countries, the anonymity is necessary for journalists and whistleblowers, but with great power comes great responsibility and bad actors who neglect that.

The downfall of good tech

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Cryptocurrency

The most obvious example of a technology that was initially great and went downhill (in my opinion) is cryptocurrency.

When Bitcoin was first introduced to the world in 2008-2009, it was exciting and seemed very promising as it addressed some of the biggest problems with fiat currency and traditional payment methods:

Bitcoin can’t be artificially created whereas central banks can just print more money. This had lead to hyperinflation in countries like Venezuela and Zimbabwe (where “one hundred trillion dollars” is completely worthless).
Crypto wallets can be self-custodial, meaning your funds can’t be seized the way your bank might block your debit or credit card.
The blockchain is decentralised and impartial, unlike payment processors (e.g., Visa, MasterCard, PayPal) who have the authority to pull out of a market during times of political tension (as did happen in Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine).

However, things changed when the focus of crypto went from being a currency to an investment. I’m not against investing, especially long-term investing. However, crypto has become a hotbed for scams. Sometimes, the crypto itself is a scam (most memecoins), other times it’s part of a scam or attack (e.g., ransomware, pig butchering scams).

Contact Me

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Email

The email address I use is taz@notnapoleon.net.

Want to encrypt your email? Click here to download my public PGP key.

FYI: I won’t be able to send you an encrypted reply unless I have your public key (never give out your private key, that’s for your eyes only).

Instant Messaging

Update: I now have my own Matrix Homeserver.

Platform	Username/ID
Matrix	@taz:matrix.notnapoleon.net
Session	05373b2777303bde234c3184a4038a9da7781a0404e4fb5812969b073cfee52c3f
SimpleX Chat	(SimpleX doesn’t have user IDs, click here to contact me)