# autonomy Published articles for autonomy. This is one page of public article previews, not the complete archive. Follow Next page to continue. Summaries are not the original full articles. ## The cloud is not a chemical plant DevFeed: [The cloud is not a chemical plant]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2025-07-11T08:20:53Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Bert Hubert's writings]() Topics: [Cloud](), [digital](), [amazon](), [Google](), [Microsoft]() Tags: [amazon](), [autonomy](), [cloud](), [digital-autonomy](), [europe](), [google](), [microsoft](), [policy](), [providers]() ### AI overview The article argues that Europe is not hopelessly behind American cloud providers despite their greater breadth, technical performance, and scale. It contrasts cloud services with European chemical and manufacturing industries that were outcompeted by cheaper suppliers, arguing that the comparison does not apply to cloud computing. ### Source excerpt There is a lot of recent discussion about digital autonomy and Europe's "position in the cloud". Here, I want to break down and refute a commonly made argument: that the lead of American cloud providers is so great that we can never catch up. In the recent and excellent policy initiative "Clouds on the Horizon" (by Dutch political parties GL-PvdA and NSC), we can read on page 23 why this can't be a reason to just give up. ## Why Delegation Fails - and What to Do About It DevFeed: [Why Delegation Fails - and What to Do About It]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: tobi@techunicorn.builders (Tobias Mende) Published: 2025-05-30T05:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Tobias Mende]() Topics: [trust](), [context](), [execution]() Tags: [autonomy](), [ceo](), [context](), [delegation](), [leadership-delegation-decision-making-practices-goal-setting-startup](), [ownership](), [teams](), [trust]() ### AI overview The article argues that delegation often fails because leaders provide insufficient context, unclear expectations, limited autonomy, and inconsistent trust. It recommends defining the desired result, sharing context, aligning on expectations and autonomy, and giving teams meaningful ownership. ### Source excerpt "You don't have a delegation problem. You have a clarity and trust problem." I used to think I was helping my team by staying involved. Answering every question. Checking every detail. In reality, I was slowing everyone down - including myself. ## It is no longer safe to move our governments and societies to US clouds DevFeed: [It is no longer safe to move our governments and societies to US clouds]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2025-02-23T11:15:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Bert Hubert's writings]() Topics: [cloud-infrastructure](), [data](), [Google](), [systems]() Tags: [autonomy](), [data](), [google](), [government](), [politics](), [trump]() ### AI overview This opinion argues that European governments and societies should stop increasing their dependence on US cloud services. It criticizes convenience- and cost-based justifications for transferring government systems and data to American providers, using a Dutch government job site and Google as an example. ### Source excerpt The very short version: it is madness to continue transferring the running of European societies and governments to American clouds. Not only is it a terrible idea given the kind of things the "King of America" keeps saying, the legal sophistry used to justify such transfers, like the nonsense letter the Dutch cabinet sent last week, has now been invalidated by Trump himself. And why are we doing this? Convenience. ## Communications without Musk and Trump: Cloud Kootwijk DevFeed: [Communications without Musk and Trump: Cloud Kootwijk]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2025-02-02T14:07:10Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Bert Hubert's writings]() Topics: [communications](), [Cloud]() Tags: [autonomy](), [cloud](), [communications]() ### AI overview The article contrasts the Netherlands' historical effort to build independent radio communications through Radio Kootwijk with the country's current reliance on American servers for communication and file processing. It presents this as a renewed dependency concern in 2025. ### Source excerpt In the beautiful Dutch booklet Over en Uit: Driekwart Eeuw Radiocommunicatie 1900 - 1975 ('Over and out: 75 years of radio communications'), we read: 1916: As a result of British cable censorship, free communication between the Dutch government and the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies was no longer feasible. (Dutch version of this post is here) The Netherlands was dependent on foreign countries for communication, which had already caused problems earlier: ## Open Source on its own is no alternative to Big Tech DevFeed: [Open Source on its own is no alternative to Big Tech]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2024-10-26T12:15:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Bert Hubert's writings]() Topics: [Open Source](), [Microsoft](), [Nextcloud](), [migration]() Tags: [autonomy](), [cloud](), [microsoft](), [migration](), [open-source](), [software]() ### AI overview The article argues that Open Source software alone is not a direct alternative to Big Tech services. It attributes the difference to the professional support, training, infrastructure, and managed services that accompany major technology providers, using a Nextcloud experiment in the European Parliament as an example. ### Source excerpt Now that we're increasingly concerned about the dominance of 'big tech', Open Source is often mentioned as an alternative, especially since our governments are carrying out a Total Migration to Microsoft. This is the English version of this Dutch piece. In Dutch we say you can't compare apples and pears, but that's not entirely true. Both are so-called handfruit, and one is a bit harder, the other a bit softer. ## How sovereign do you want to be? DevFeed: [How sovereign do you want to be?]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2024-05-23T08:48:26Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Bert Hubert's writings]() Topics: [communications](), [Cloud](), [Cybersecurity](), [Microsoft]() Tags: [autonomy](), [cloud](), [communications](), [data](), [infrastructure](), [microsoft](), [policy](), [risk](), [security]() ### AI overview The article examines digital sovereignty through confidentiality, flexibility, and resilience. It questions Dutch parliamentary data access arrangements involving Microsoft and the US government, and contrasts outsourced infrastructure with the local capacity needed to repair systems during crises. ### Source excerpt Sovereignty is a great word, and it has a nice ring to it. Everyone would like to be sovereign, but being so comes with costs and inconveniences. Therefore, it's useful to break down the concept to see what we really mean by it and what we'd be prepared to do to be "sovereign". Confidentiality is often the first thing that comes to mind. Who can read all our communications and files? ## Cyber Security: A Pre-War Reality Check DevFeed: [Cyber Security: A Pre-War Reality Check]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2024-05-14T18:48:26Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Bert Hubert's writings]() Topics: [Security](), [Cybercrime]() Tags: [autonomy](), [conference](), [cyber](), [cybersecurity](), [presentation](), [resilience](), [security](), [speech]() ### AI overview A lightly edited transcript of a presentation arguing that cybersecurity should be understood not only as protecting secrets and systems from hackers or ransomware, but also in the context of war and broader societal security risks. The speaker calls for a more realistic assessment of the current security environment. ### Source excerpt This is a lightly edited transcript of my presentation today at the ACCSS/NCSC/Surf seminar 'Cyber Security and Society'. I want to thank the organizers for inviting me to their conference & giving me a great opportunity to talk about something I worry about a lot. Here are the original slides with notes, which may be useful to view together with the text below. In the notes there are also additional URLs that back up the claims I make in what follows. ## Cloud Naïve: Europe and the 'Bijenkorf' Megascaler DevFeed: [Cloud Naïve: Europe and the 'Bijenkorf' Megascaler]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2024-04-28T15:30:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Bert Hubert's writings]() Topics: [Cloud](), [cloud-infrastructure](), [Infrastructure as code](), [Amazon Web Services](), [Azure](), [Google Cloud Platform (GCP)](), [Kubernetes]() Tags: [amazon-web-services](), [autonomy](), [azure](), [cloud](), [cloud-native](), [infrastructure](), [infrastructure-as-code](), [kubernetes](), [operations]() ### AI overview The article examines Europe's dependence on major American cloud providers, contrasting cloud-native development with traditional self-managed software and infrastructure. It argues that cloud-native practices commonly rely on services from Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform, including infrastructure as code and managed Kubernetes. ### Source excerpt Lately there's been some confusion: places like SIDN (Dutch national operator of all internet names that end on .NL) claim that nobody in Europe can deliver their computer needs, and that they therefore must outsource their operations to American cloud providers. Dutch version of this page here: Cloud Native, Europa, de 'Bijenkorf' Megascaler 🇳🇱 Meanwhile, we have large providers of servers and services in the Netherlands and in Europe who claim that they can (and do) provide these kinds of services just fine. ## Deciding Which ICT Tasks to Keep In-House or Outsource DevFeed: [Deciding Which ICT Tasks to Keep In-House or Outsource]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2024-03-02T16:30:55Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Bert Hubert's writings]() Topics: [service](), [Server](), [amazon](), [cloud-infrastructure]() Tags: [amazon](), [autonomy](), [employees](), [management](), [organizations](), [outsourcing](), [servers](), [service]() ### AI overview This opinion article discusses how organizations decide whether to keep ICT tasks in-house or outsource them. It argues that prolonged indecision can lead to the loss of internal expertise and recommends making deliberate decisions while retaining a smaller core ICT team. ### Source excerpt The short version: organizations often hesitate for many years before outsourcing tasks, particularly in the field of ICT (Information and Communication Technology). During those years, valuable ICT employees leave because constantly justifying their own existence is frustrating. In the long run, something will eventually go wrong, making the decision to outsource much easier: "We can't and don't want to do this ourselves anymore." However, by hesitating for so long, you have created the situation yourself. ## Design context is more important than a detailed solution DevFeed: [Design context is more important than a detailed solution]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Mike Published: 2023-12-10T06:29:25Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Dev Details]() Topics: [context](), [implementation](), [Software Engineering](), [Requirements]() Tags: [autonomy](), [context](), [decision-making](), [flexibility](), [implementation](), [software-design]() ### AI overview The article argues that software design should prioritize sufficient context over detailed, rigid solutions. Because requirements and knowledge change during implementation, lightweight design documents should align stakeholders, explain the problem and expected outcomes, and give teams enough direction to adapt autonomously. ### Source excerpt We will never have enough information before implementation to be able to design a perfect solution. Inevitably, what we know will change as we implement. ## Architecture Principles streamline development DevFeed: [Architecture Principles streamline development]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Mike Published: 2023-08-10T08:26:21Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Dev Details]() Topics: [Development](), [Software Engineering](), [Software](), [decision-making]() Tags: [architecture](), [autonomy](), [decision-making](), [design](), [development-process](), [quality](), [reliability](), [software-development](), [user-experience]() ### AI overview The article explains that shared architectural principles can align developers, teams, and business leaders around software decisions. It argues that this alignment simplifies development, supports team autonomy, reduces technical debt, and improves software quality, reliability, scalability, and user experience. ### Source excerpt Architecture Principles guide the development, design, and operation of software systems. ## Shaping developer experience teams for autonomy DevFeed: [Shaping developer experience teams for autonomy]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: tobi@techunicorn.builders (Tobias Mende) Published: 2022-03-19T13:08:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Tobias Mende]() Topics: [Developer experience](), [code productivity](), [Tooling](), [Back end](), [Front end](), [CI/CD](), [Deployment](), [Monitoring](), [cloud-infrastructure]() Tags: [autonomy](), [backend](), [continuous-integration](), [deployment](), [developer-experience](), [frontend](), [infrastructure](), [monitoring](), [team-topologies-developer-productivity-organizational-design](), [teams](), [tech-leadership](), [tooling]() ### AI overview This article discusses how to structure a developer experience team for autonomy and independence. Drawing on BRYTER's experience, it argues for a cross-functional team that can address frontend, backend, tooling, continuous integration, deployment, and monitoring concerns, with specialists covering different technical areas. ### Source excerpt Shaping developer experience teams for autonomy Once you have decided, that a developer experience team would provide value to your organisation, the question is, how such a team should be set up, how it should be shaped, and how it should interact with other teams. ## Why companies should care about great developer experience DevFeed: [Why companies should care about great developer experience]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: tobi@techunicorn.builders (Tobias Mende) Published: 2022-03-05T13:02:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Tobias Mende]() Topics: [Developer experience](), [code productivity](), [developer-productivity](), [Tool](), [Documentation](), [software-development]() Tags: [autonomy](), [cognitive-load](), [consistency](), [culture-developer-productivity-engineering-excellence](), [developer](), [developer-experience](), [developer-productivity](), [documentation](), [software-development](), [tools]() ### AI overview The article argues that developer experience is a necessity rather than a luxury because it contributes to developer productivity and company success. It describes good developer experience as reducing cognitive load through tools, services, and documentation while balancing team autonomy with guidance and consistency. ### Source excerpt Why companies should care about great developer experience Companies might fall into the trap to believe that developer experience is a nice-to-have luxury rather than a necessity. However, this is not the case. As I argued in my last article, high developer productivity results from a great developer experience and thus, the companies' success ultimately relies on this. ## Just care less about not being aligned DevFeed: [Just care less about not being aligned]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: tobi@techunicorn.builders (Tobias Mende) Published: 2021-11-06T10:12:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Tobias Mende]() Topics: [Architecture & Design](), [Microservice](), [Microservices]() Tags: [architecture](), [autonomy](), [build-times](), [gradle](), [independent](), [microservices](), [software-development-team-topologies-engineering-excellence-organizational-design]() ### AI overview The article argues that fast-growing companies should reduce unnecessary alignment requirements by structuring teams and systems for greater independence. It discusses cross-functional units, vertical ownership, microservices, distinct modules, and splitting frontend and backend dependencies. ### Source excerpt Just care less about not being aligned If you work in a company that is aiming for fast growth, being overly aligned will slow you down as the number of stakeholders increases. If every time I want to introduce a new linting rule I would need to agree with 55 other developers, I will likely not do it. Instead of forcing all units to use the same tech stack, the same code style, the same testing framework and so on, we need to learn to just care less. Of course, the ability to care less depends on the architecture and the company structure. In a monolithic application, it is far more difficult to reduce the impact of units on each other, than in an environment of properly structured microservices. Thus, the goal is to identify and create structures that allow you to care less about alignment. The entire idea of cross-functional units is aiming for units to be independent. This is achieved by having units own vertical slices of the system completely, which reduces the need for alignment with other units to a minimum. However, sometimes even cross-functional units can influence each other because of technical dependencies or suboptimal structuring of these units. ## Cross-functional units and uni-functional teams DevFeed: [Cross-functional units and uni-functional teams]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: tobi@techunicorn.builders (Tobias Mende) Published: 2021-10-29T09:08:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Tobias Mende]() Topics: [Architecture & Design](), [Back end](), [Front end](), [cloud-infrastructure](), [DevOps]() Tags: [autonomy](), [backend](), [cloud-infrastructure](), [components](), [designer](), [devops](), [frontend](), [infrastructure](), [qa](), [software-development-team-topologies-engineering-excellence-organizational-design](), [teams]() ### AI overview The article compares cross-functional units, where people from multiple disciplines work autonomously on an area end to end, with uni-functional teams that connect specialists across units. It argues that cross-unit coordination is especially valuable when teams share code, services, frontends, or infrastructure, helping align practices and address issues that affect multiple units. ### Source excerpt Cross-functional units and uni-functional teams Many modern companies put a high emphasis on having multiple functions within one unit or team. The goal: The unit should be able to function with a high degree of autonomy, working on its area and owning everything in this area from beginning to end.