[[Most Modern Devices Depend on the Cloud]] to do anything useful. I've grown a fondness for [[Durable File Types]] and [[Local Applications]]. This note is a list of some apps and devices I like that don't become useless when they lose Wi-Fi.[^1] # Content Creation ## [[Obsidian]] Obsidian is what I'm using to write this note. Its independence from the "the cloud" is why I use it instead of [[Notion]]. I don't want something I depend on and invest in this heavily to be subject to some business rug-pulling it. ## Coding This is becoming less true as time goes on & "vibe coding" becomes the norm, but you can write programs locally. You just cannot download libraries and depend on LLM-based coding assistants. If you cache libraries and you know your way around ## [[LibreOffice]] Since Microsoft Office has gone mostly cloud-based with Office 365, LibreOffice has become an increasingly good proposition. ## [[Local LLMs]] This note will be wildly out-of-date almost immediately, but you can actually run a decently functional version of ChatGPT-like [[Large Language Models]] on your own hardware. It's free and not that difficult. See [[Local LLMs]]. # Content Consumption ## Plex Similar to HomeAssistant, Plex is _very close_ to being online, but actually runs within your network for the things I use it for. Plex is a [[Self-Hosted]] media server. Essentially, your own personal Netflix, Spotify, and Google Photos. ## Endel Endel generates background music dynamically based on signals it has about you and your context. It's probably too expensive for what it is, but I bought a lifetime pass a while back. Now I have permanent access to locally-generated ambient music to help me sleep, focus, relax, and move. ## [[Kiwix]] Kiwix is an application that makes it easy to download & view [[Wikipedia]] content for offline use. You can download all of Wikipedia if you want to, or just one of their (many) topic-specific collections. # Games This category could go on for a very long time. Most pre-Fortnite video games work fairly well offline. These things just come to mind as things I'd bring with me on a plane. ## [[Minecraft]] Minecraft is an incredibly easy way to kill dozens (or hundreds) of hours offline. If I were stuck on a desert island with a laptop and a power source, I'd make sure Minecraft were installed on it. ## Playdate The Playdate is an intentionally low-fidelity handheld gaming device. It's a has a D-pad, A button, B button, and a crank. It's a fun little thing to play with that runs games on-device. # Smart Home ## [[Home Assistant]] Calling this "offline" is a bit disingenuous, but Home Assistant allows you to control your smart devices even if your ISP decides you don't actually need internet today. Most of my devices don't even use Wi-Fi at this point. **** # More ## Source - self [^1]: This list doesn't mean "things that _never touch_ the internet". Most things on this list are obtained via the internet and/or can benefit from extra optional features if you do happen to have a connection. They just don't actively depend on the internet for their main value-delivering usage. This is the best of both worlds.