FeedRunner

joined 5 days ago
[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Sorry, with WOW I meant the streaming service WOWtv. I think it was formerly known as Sky Ticket.

[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 0 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I’ve just downloaded the apps for Deutschlandfunk, Reuters, and the Guardian to explore them in more detail. Euractiv and Süddeutsche Zeitung are next on my list. Thanks for the thoughtful recommendations!

[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The UK may have left the EU, but Europe is more than just political structures... it’s about shared values, culture, and a common future. I’m confident that the UK will rejoin the EU one day, whether it takes five, ten, or more years. Until then, I’ll always see our British friends as part of the European family. Thanks for recommending Novara Media, I’ll check it out!

[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 0 points 1 day ago

Glad my post is an inspiration for you :)

I will check out that Italian brand, thanks!

[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Well that wasn't a criteria for me yet... but thanks for pointing that out. Gotta keep that in mind for recommendations in the future.

[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 1 points 1 day ago

No, haven't tried that yet. Still running on my Windows boot.

 

Hi everyone,

I am looking for a reliable European news service and would love to hear what you use and why.

I am based in Germany, so European sources that work well here are especially interesting to me. I am not looking for newsletters or RSS setups, just full news platforms or apps.

A few questions to guide your answers:

- Which European news service do you use most often?

- Is it free or paid, and if paid, do you feel the cost is justified?

- Do you use it mainly for European news, global coverage, or both?

- How would you describe its editorial approach (neutral, opinionated, investigative, etc)?

I am aiming to get a broader European perspective.
Practical comments about usability, quality of reporting, or specific strong areas are very welcome.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 0 points 1 day ago

I'm also in similar journey to switch although still early. I started using Element in small circle and it works great.

For phones, you might want to check Jolla, its EU/Finish Linux phone.

And for the rest, being a open-source dev myself, I can only suggest open-source digital products:

For design work, see https://penpot.app/ its awesome and mature product.

If you need to publish videos, check https://joinpeertube.org/

You can find much more EU-based and produced digital services here: https://european-alternatives.eu/

Good luck!

Thanks for the suggestions, I appreciate it.

Jolla has actually been on my radar for a few days now. I came across it in another thread recently and I do think it is a very interesting concept, especially Sailfish OS. That said, I am currently leaning more towards Fairphone, mainly because of the repairability and the long-term hardware support. That aspect matters a lot to me.

What I might do, though, is take a closer look at Sailfish OS and see whether it could realistically be combined with a Fairphone instead of LineageOS. That really comes down to compatibility and everyday usability, so I will need to evaluate that carefully before deciding.

Penpot looks great. I had a quick look and really liked what I saw. I have saved it for later and will very likely use it for future web projects, so thanks for pointing that out.

european-alternatives.eu is also known to me. I have checked it a couple of times already, but I think I need to spend more time going through it more systematically, especially for areas I have not actively switched yet.

Thanks again for the input!

 

Hi everyone,

a few days ago I shared my ongoing journey of replacing US-based services with European alternatives where it makes sense — focusing on values, resilience, and supporting EU-based ecosystems rather than perfection or ideological purity.

Since then, quite a bit has happened, and I wanted to post a follow-up / progress update, partly to close the loop and partly to ask for more ideas from the community.

Original post for context.


What I’ve Switched Since the Last Post

Shopping & Marketplaces

  • Amazon → fully deleted
    • Account is completely gone.
    • For books, I’m now trying to stick to Thalia (German retailer).
      I’m not sure how well-known or available it is outside Germany, but so far it works well for my needs.
    • For everything else:
      • Buying directly from brands whenever possible
      • Using Avocadostore and similar European marketplaces for ethical / sustainable products

This feels like a big mental shift more than anything — fewer impulse buys, more intentional purchasing.


Google Ecosystem

  • Google Account → completely deleted
    • Before deleting it, I exported:
      • YouTube subscriptions
      • Watch history
      • Playlists
  • YouTube → FreeTube
    • No Google account
    • No ads
    • Much better privacy
    • Videos take a second or two longer to load — a very acceptable trade-off for me

One of the biggest unexpected benefits for me: I also deleted YouTube from my phone entirely.

That means:

  • No algorithmic doomscrolling
  • No Shorts. At all.
  • Much more intentional video consumption

Honestly, this alone already feels like a massive quality-of-life improvement.


Browser

  • Chromium (Brave) → Firefox
    • This change was directly influenced by community discussions and comments
    • Still evaluating long-term, but first impression is very positive
    • Feels good to step away from the Chromium monoculture, at least for now

Social Media (or the Lack Thereof)

I should probably add some context here:

  • I don’t use social media in the classic sense.
  • No TikTok (never had one)
  • No Instagram
  • No Snapchat
  • No Facebook

At the moment, the only thing I actively use is Lemmy.

I’ve been considering giving Mastodon a try, but:

  • I never had a Twitter/X account either
  • I honestly don’t really know what I would post there
  • So this is more of a “maybe at some point” consideration than a concrete plan

If people have thoughts on how they personally use Mastodon in a meaningful way, I’m curious to hear them.


What Stayed the Same (for Now)

Still keeping a few non-EU things for pragmatic reasons:

  • Netflix (occasional 1-month subscriptions)
  • Steam (gaming ecosystem reality)
  • 1Password (Canada-based, but currently still the best fit for me)

Why I’m Posting This Again

Two main reasons:

  1. To show progress
    This isn’t a one-time “look how pure I am” post — it’s iterative, messy, and evolving.

  2. Because your comments helped a lot
    I got genuinely great suggestions and perspectives last time, and several of the above switches happened because of community input.


Open Questions (Again)

I’d love to hear from others who’ve gone down similar paths:

  • Services or products you’ve switched away from US providers
    Especially things people often don’t think about at first.
  • European alternatives you really trust or recommend
  • Things you tried but would not recommend (also very valuable)

This is still very much a work in progress.
Happy to learn, adjust, and iterate.

Thanks again, looking forward to your thoughts!

[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 3 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Yeah, thanks :) I'm gonna give Firefox a shot now.

[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 3 points 1 day ago

Vivaldi is chromium based tho?

Indeed. I must have mixed that up. Sorry. I'm going to to give Firefox itself a shot now. Still gotta check out Librewolf :)

[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 0 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Yes, Netflix does work, but WOW sadly doesn't.

[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 16 points 1 day ago (9 children)

I actually laughed out loud when I read your comment because it’s so obvious, yet I completely overlooked it. 😅

I’ve been so hyper-focused on finding Firefox-based alternatives (Vivaldi, Zen, etc.) that I somehow forgot to reconsider Firefox itself, even though it’s been sitting right there as the default browser on my Linux Mint Cinnamon setup this whole time. The last time I used Firefox seriously was years ago, and I don’t even remember why I didn’t like it back then. But now that I’ve taken another look:

  • Native vertical tabs (no extensions needed. this is a game-changer for me)
  • No Chromium
  • Pinned tabs (works natively, just like in Brave)

The irony? I’ve spent hours hunting for workarounds in other browsers while the solution was pre-installed. Thanks for the reality check... sometimes you’re so deep in the weeds, you miss the obvious.

I’m testing it now with manual Widevine setup to see how DRM/streaming holds up. If you’ve got any Linux-specific tips (or warnings), I’m all ears!

(And yes, I’ll still keep an eye out for other alternatives like Ladybird, but for now, Firefox might just be the answer I’ve been ignoring.)

 

First off, a huge thank you to everyone who responded to my [last post] with suggestions and insights. The feedback was incredibly helpful.

Now, I’d like to focus on one specific challenge that’s still unresolved: my browser situation.

Currently, I’m using Brave as a temporary solution. It has vertical tabs and pinned sites, which I need, but it’s still Chromium-based. I want to move away from Google’s ecosystem, but I’m not willing to compromise on usability. If a browser can’t handle vertical tabs or DRM for streaming, it’s not a viable option for me.


What I Need

  • Vertical tabs (non-negotiable; Arc spoiled me)
  • No Chromium (Firefox-based or independent engine preferred)
  • Functional DRM (yes, even on Linux—don’t judge me)
  • Daily usability (no constant cookie purges, no janky workarounds)

What I’ve Tried

  • Vivaldi & Zen Browser: Firefox-based, which I liked in theory. But DRM (Widevine) was a no-go, even with plugins. Linux + DRM is a known nightmare, but if someone has a functional setup, I’d love to hear about it.
  • Mullvad Browser: Privacy-wise, it’s great, but the aggressive cookie-clearing makes it impractical for daily use.

What I Haven’t Tried (But Am Watching)

  • Ladybird Browser: This could be the answer—if it ever becomes stable. If anyone’s tested recent builds, I’d love to hear how close it is to daily usability.

What I’m Looking For Now

Is there a browser out there that I’m missing?
One that balances privacy, usability, and my specific needs - without forcing me into a Chromium-based corner?

Specifically, I’d love to hear from people who’ve had success with:

  • Firefox-based browsers (or others) that handle vertical tabs and DRM smoothly.
  • General experiences with non-Chromium browsers - what’s your daily driver, and why?

If you’ve found a setup that works for you, I’d genuinely love to hear about it.


> thanks <

[–] FeedRunner@europe.pub 1 points 2 days ago

Good advice, thanks!

 

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share my current status quo of gradually moving away from US-based services and products and replacing them with European alternatives where possible.

This is not about perfection or ideological purity — more about direction, values, and supporting EU-based ecosystems when reasonable alternatives exist.


What I’ve Already Switched

Email / Cloud / VPN

I’m fully aware that Proton is a European company based in Switzerland. My decision to move away from Proton was not about trust or geography, but about risk concentration.

I was using Proton Mail, Proton Drive, and Proton VPN at the same time and decided to follow the principle of:

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”

So I deliberately split these services across different providers:

  • Proton MailTutaMail (Germany)
  • Proton DriveFilen (Germany)
  • Proton VPNMullvad VPN (Sweden) (when I actually need a VPN)

This is more about resilience and diversification than distrust.


Music Streaming

  • DeezerQobuz (France)
    • While Deezer is often seen as European, I decided to move away after learning more about its ownership and investor structure.
    • A significant share is held by non-EU stakeholders partly linked to the US, which didn’t align with what I want to support long-term.
    • Qobuz feels more in line with my values, and the switch was a nice improvement in sound quality.

Messaging

  • WhatsAppThreema + Signal
    • WhatsApp is completely gone.
    • Signal is still US-based, but currently required for activism/political work.

Language Models

  • ChatGPTLe Chat

Charging Devices

  • Ankerrecable (Germany)

Voice Chat

  • DiscordTeamSpeak

OS

  • WindowsLinux Mint (Oh boy, do I love Linux Mint <3 Fck Windows)

Office / Creative Software

  • Microsoft OfficeLibreOffice (rarely needed anyway)
  • For most creative work, I use Affinity Publisher, Designer & Photo

Entertainment

  • Cancelled several US streaming services (e.g., Disney+)

Navigation

  • Apple MapsTomTom

Payments

  • PayPalWero

Clothing

  • While Adidas is a German brand, a lot of their production happens outside the EU, which I want to move away from over time.
  • Ideal goal: Support European production under reasonable conditions.
    • Shoes: Switching from Adidas → TREAZY (EU production, plant-based materials)
    • Socks: Planning to switch to TREAZY socks (made in Portugal)
    • UnderwearOpen Question
      • Looking for high-quality men’s underwear (trunks) that:
        • Is genuinely produced in Europe,
        • Feels really comfortable,
        • Actually lasts a long time (doesn’t stretch out or fall apart after a few months).
      • Do you have recommendations? Something you’ve had for years and still feel comfortable in, made in Europe?

Audio / Hardware

  • Initially planned: Shure SM7B
  • Decided on: Sennheiser MD 421 Mark II (Supporting a European audio manufacturer felt like the better fit for me.)

What I Still Use (Reluctantly / Pragmatically)

  • Netflix (No real EU alternative with a comparable catalog — I only subscribe occasionally, 1 month every few months.)
  • Gaming: Steam (ecosystem reasons)
  • Password Manager: 1Password (Canada — not EU, but best fit for my needs so far)

Big Open Topic: Smartphone

  • Currently using an iPhone 15 Pro
  • Considering a Fairphone with LineageOS
  • Waiting to see developments around Fairphone 6
  • Would love to see some experiences here.

Where I’d Really Love Community Input

  • Messaging: Thoughts on Element / Matrix / XMPP?
  • Streaming: Any serious European Netflix alternatives you like?
  • Underwear: European underwear brands/experiences that are truly high-quality & long-lasting?
  • General: EU services/products you’d strongly recommend or avoid?

This is very much a work in progress, not a finished state. Happy to learn, adjust, and iterate — feedback welcome! 😊

Thanks!


Edit: Improved structure and readability.

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