Philosophy and core beliefs

1. Privacy is non-negotiable

Privacy is a basic human right. It is not a luxury, a hidden setting, or a premium feature. We reject mass surveillance, forced telemetry, dark patterns, and data harvesting disguised as analytics.

• Anything that impacts privacy must be opt-in and reversible.
• Data collection must be transparent, documented, and restrained.
• Trust is earned through restraint, not extracted through design.

2. Freedom over convenience

Convenience is often used to remove choice. We believe it should never come at the cost of freedom, agency, or understanding.

• Open formats over locked ecosystems.
• Interoperability over vendor lock-in.
• User control over platform control.

We design systems that empower users, even when it requires more effort and clearer documentation.

3. Open source is a moral position

Free and open-source software is a moral, social, and political stance. Code should be auditable, knowledge should be shareable, and innovation should thrive through collaboration.

• Openness builds accountability, including accountability to ourselves.
• Trust is earned through transparency, not marketing.

4. Access without exploitation

High-quality software, games, and research should not be locked behind manipulative systems or artificial scarcity.

• We build professional-grade experiences without predatory monetization.
• We avoid manipulation, addiction-driven design, and artificial paywalls.
• Users are never the product.

5. Transparency creates accountability

Transparency is about responsibility. Decisions should be explainable, systems should be understandable, and power should be visible.

• Goals, methods, and limitations are communicated openly.
• Communities can challenge decisions and improve the work.