For a long time I avoided putting analytics on The Drew Archive. Not because I didn’t want to know whether anyone was reading, but because I didn’t want to build a site around collecting data on its visitors.
A funny thing happens once you publish something on the internet. At first you’re just excited to have a website online. Then people start reading it. Then someone leaves a comment. Then someone emails you. And eventually you realize you’ve quietly become responsible for keeping the whole thing alive.
I have always had a soft spot for owning my own infrastructure. That goes back to my love for the open-source community.
These days, though, I do not have the time or freedom to go all in on open source the way I once might have. I am simply not in that phase of life anymore. And yes, I know that is partly because I have grown used to proprietary tools.