I've written a lot in the last year about my contempt for the big tech platforms. But I'm also putting my money where my mouth is. I'm paying for stuff that skirts the platforms, because that's what I would ask folks to do for the sites that I run. Here are some things I'm already paying for.
- Nebula - This is a video streaming service that's owned by its publishers. Many have equivalent YouTube channels, where they get a fraction of the money and are beholden to whatever nonsense that Google throws at them. But they also can post whatever they want, without issue, on Nebula, and they typically release things there first, or longer versions of their video.
- Ars Technica - This has been a favorite tech news site for me for a very long time, probably two decades. The site is owned by Conde Nast, but importantly, it is their only 100% digital product. They offer the very best thing: Give them $25, you enjoy all of the site ad-free. I read it almost every weekday, so it's totally worth it. They do have very active forums, but I'm not particularly interested in those.
- Pinside - It's a pinball enthusiast site based in The Netherlands. It isn't the prettiest site, but it's independent, and I'm happy to throw a little money at them. The site is very active, and has a great database of machines.
- New York Times - I've been a subscriber for years. Journalism isn't cheap. And I'm addicted to the games.
- CoasterBuzz - Well, technically I'm not paying myself, but I am paying for the whole site with the shitty ad revenue.
My intention is to continue to be on the lookout for the niche things that I think are cool. Facebook is dead to me, as I am to it.