Everything started with a simple thought: “I’ll just set up Plex on my NAS.” Famous last words. Looking back now, I can’t help but laugh at my naivety. That innocent decision has spiraled into what can only be described as a full-blown obsession with self-hosting and digital independence.

The catalyst was frustration with streaming services. Remember when Netflix was the only game in town? Now we’re expected to juggle half a dozen subscriptions just to watch our favourite shows. Even then, content appears and disappears at the whim of corporate licensing deals. It’s maddening.

The self-hosted software landscape never fails to amaze me with its constant evolution. Recently, I’ve been following the development of Calibre-Web Automated (CWA), and the release of version 3.0 marks a significant milestone in digital library management.

Running a home server setup has always been a bit of a hobby of mine. Between managing my collection of technical documentation, my daughter’s growing library of YA novels, and my wife’s extensive catalogue of historical fiction, having a reliable digital library system is crucial. The previous EPUB-only limitation often meant juggling multiple tools and formats, which was, frankly, a pain in the neck.

Looking through my desk drawer the other day, I found my old iPhone 11 gathering dust alongside various charging cables and forgotten adapters. This discovery coincided perfectly with an interesting post I spotted about someone transforming their old OnePlus phone into a home server - complete with what looked like an entire tube of silicone adhesive holding it together.

The specs were impressive: 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, and an 8-core CPU. That’s more powerful than many entry-level servers, and it was just sitting there, destined for landfill. While the setup looked a bit, shall we say, “enthusiastic” with its liberal use of adhesive (prompting some rather colorful comments online), the concept is brilliant.