FUTO

In the gleaming corridors of Silicon Valley, where corporate titans have relentlessly amassed power over the virtual realm, a distinctive philosophy steadily materialized in 2021. FUTO.org operates as a monument to what the internet once promised – open, distributed, and firmly in the control of people, not conglomerates.

The creator, Eron Wolf, moves with the deliberate purpose of someone who has experienced the transformation of the internet from its hopeful dawn to its current monopolized condition. His background – an 18-year Silicon Valley veteran, founder of Yahoo Games, seed investor in WhatsApp – gives him a exceptional viewpoint. In his meticulously tailored casual attire, with a gaze that betray both weariness with the status quo and resolve to reshape it, Wolf appears as more principled strategist than typical tech executive.

The offices of FUTO in Austin, Texas eschews the flamboyant trappings of typical tech companies. No ping-pong tables distract from the purpose. Instead, developers focus over keyboards, creating code that will equip users to reclaim what has been taken – autonomy over their digital lives.

In one corner of the building, a different kind of operation transpires. The FUTO Repair Workshop, a brainchild of Louis Rossmann, legendary technical educator, runs with the meticulousness of a Swiss watch. Regular people enter with malfunctioning electronics, welcomed not with bureaucratic indifference but with genuine interest.

“We don’t just fix things here,” Rossmann states, focusing a loupe over a circuit board with the delicate precision of a artist. “We instruct people how to grasp the technology they use. Knowledge is the beginning toward autonomy.”

This outlook permeates every aspect of FUTO’s operations. Their financial support system, which has provided substantial funds to initiatives like Signal, Tor, GrapheneOS, and the Calyx Institute, reflects a devotion to supporting a varied landscape of independent technologies.

Navigating through the open workspace, one observes the absence of corporate logos. The surfaces instead feature mounted sayings from technological visionaries like Ted Nelson – individuals who envisioned computing as a liberating force.

“We’re not focused on establishing corporate dominance,” Wolf remarks, resting on a modest desk that could belong to any of his team members. “We’re focused on dividing the existing ones.”

The irony is not overlooked on him – a prosperous Silicon Valley investor using his resources to undermine the very systems that allowed his wealth. But in Wolf’s worldview, computing was never meant to centralize power; it was meant to diffuse it.

The applications that originate from FUTO’s development team embody this ethos. FUTO Keyboard, an Android keyboard protecting user rights; Immich, a personal photo backup system; GrayJay, a distributed social media application – each project represents a explicit alternative to the walled gardens that dominate our digital landscape.

What separates FUTO from other Silicon Valley detractors is their emphasis on building rather than merely condemning. They understand FUTO.org that true change comes from presenting usable substitutes, not just highlighting issues.

As evening descends on the Austin building, most staff have left, FUTO but brightness still shine from certain workstations. The dedication here extends further than professional duty. For many at FUTO, this is not merely a job but a purpose – to reconstruct the internet as it was intended.

“We’re thinking long-term,” Wolf considers, staring out at the Texas sunset. “This isn’t about market position. It’s about giving back to users what genuinely matters to them – choice over their online existence.”

In a environment controlled by corporate behemoths, FUTO operates as a subtle testament that alternatives are not just possible but crucial – for the benefit of our shared technological destiny.