---
layout: ../../../layouts/MarkdownLayout.astro
title: 'reject subscription services, embrace freedom'
pubDate: 2024-07-14
description: 'An insight into services I use to ditch Spotify and Netflix'
---
Do you like content? I'm sure you do!

But do you like paying every month for it? I'm sure you don't! <small>(Neither do I.)</small>

## Story time

I remember when I was a kid, my mom would take me to a kiosk after my dentist appointments, and I would get to pick a DVD to bring home.

Sometimes I would like the cartoon, sometimes I wouldn't. But it was always a surprise, and I loved that.

As the famous saying goes, "The cartoon was..."
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QJHUbtR0yI8?si=VduMtIFJom_PdKNa" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I didn't have a computer back then, so I would watch them on a DVD player I had hooked up to my TV.
<small>(Thank you mom and dad for paying out of your asses for that!)</small>

## The Problem

Nowadays, we have services like Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon Prime Video. They offer a wide range of content, but they come at a cost.

First and foremost, you don't even own the content! You're just renting it for a monthly fee.

What happens if Netflix decides to randomly remove your favorite show/movie?

What if Spotify decides to up their prices?

You're effectively a hostage and have no say in the matter.

At least with DVDs and other physical media, I don't have to worry about that. I paid for it, and it's mine.

Also, according to Netflix, I am not allowed to share my account with my friends. Something I don't have to worry about with physical media. 

<small>(I'm still waiting for my friend to return my copy of "David, el Gnomo")</small>

## The Solution

So, what can you do?

Well, you can always use the DVD player you have lying around, but physical media has its own set of problems.

You have to store them, they can get scratched, and they can get lost.

So what do we do?

# We embrace freedom!
![We break these chains!](/blog/subs/chains.jpg)

Now, I'm not saying that you should pirate content. That's illegal and wrong.

I admit that I have done it in the past, when I was a kid, and my parents didn't quite understand the concept of "dishing out money for something that's free on the internet".

But I have since learned the error of my ways and have repented.

I'll share with you a list of free alternatives I use myself but feel free to experiment and find what works best for you.

## Movies, TV Shows and Music

For movies, TV shows, and music, I use [Jellyfin](https://jellyfin.org/).

It's free, open-source, has a Docker image, and it's pretty easy to set up.

It has a web interface, Android, iOS and even Tizen apps <small>(though you have to compile and deploy the Tizen app yourself)</small>.

I won't delve into the details of how to set it up, but there are plenty of guides out there that can help you.

I have a home server that I use to host it <small>(among other things)</small>, and I can access it from anywhere in the world.

The only downside is that you have to take care of setting it up and maintaining it yourself, but at least I don't have to worry about my favorite show being removed.

## Books

Now, I'll admit that I don't read as much as I did in the past, but when I do, I just open the PDF in my browser.

I know, I know, you were probably expecting me to say "I use [Calibre](https://calibre-ebook.com/)" or something like that, but I don't.

I'm a simple man, and I like to keep things simple.

Hell, even this blog post is just a Markdown file!

If I have a physical book lying around, I just take it to a photocopy store and have them send me a PDF when they're done.

Plus, there are plenty of free PDFs out there. Some of these have physical copies, you can buy if you want to support the author.

Lately, I've been reading [Hypermedia Systems](https://hypermedia.systems/), and I have to say, it's a pretty good read.

## Extra: Git

Yeah, yeah, I know. Git is not really a content service, but it's a tool that I use every day.

I know that GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket are free, but I still like to control my own repositories.

While I do use all three of them at work, I have a [Gitea](https://gitea.io/) instance running on my server, and I use it for all my projects.

It's free, open-source and it even supports CI/CD pipelines, which is pretty cool.

Like with [Jellyfin](https://jellyfin.org/), I have to take care of setting it up and maintaining it, but at least I don't have to worry about my code being removed or locked by GitHub, because some idiot used AI to find a bug, that's not even there.

## Conclusion

In the end, you have to decide what works best for you.

If you like the convenience of Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon Prime Video, then by all means, keep using them.

But if you're like me and you want to break free from the chains of subscription services, then I hope this list helps you.
