Transparency & AI Disclaimer
Welcome to Host it your DAMN self!
I believe in being 100% transparent with my readers about how this site is run, how it makes money, and how the content is created.
How This Site is Written (The AI Assistant)
You might notice that the articles here are published frequently and cover a wide range of technical topics. To make this possible as a solo creator, I use a custom-built AI assistant called GhostWriterHub.
What is GhostWriterHub? GhostWriterHub is a tool I developed specifically for this blog. I provide it with the core technical instructions, commands, structure, and my personal insights on a topic. The AI then takes my raw notes and expands them into the fully formatted, readable guides you see on this site.
Why do I use it? First and foremost, I am a full-time stay-at-home dad. While it might sound like an easy gig to some, it is actually incredibly demanding and a ton of work! On top of that, I have ADHD. Running a homelab, testing self-hosted software, and writing about it takes a massive amount of time and focus.
If I had to manually type out every single step, format every block of code, and structure every tutorial from scratch, I simply wouldn't have the time or the sustained attention span to actually build and test the cool projects I want to share with you. This AI workflow meshes perfectly with my ADHD—GhostWriterHub acts as my editor and formatter, allowing me to brain-dump the actual tech side of things and produce content I genuinely enjoy creating, all while balancing dad duties.
Note: I am actively developing GhostWriterHub, and I plan to release the tool to the public at some stage once it's fully polished!
How This Site Makes Money
Running servers, hosting this blog, and paying for the AI models that power GhostWriterHub all cost money. To keep the lights on and the content free, this site utilizes two revenue streams:
- Affiliate Referrals: Some of the links on this site (such as links to VPNs, domain registrars, or hardware) are affiliate links. If you click on one of these links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at absolutely no extra cost to you. I only recommend services that are directly relevant to self-hosting and privacy.
- AdSense: You may see occasional advertisements on the site. I try to keep these as unobtrusive as possible while still generating enough revenue to cover operational costs.
Hate Ads? Block Them!
This is a self-hosting and privacy blog, so I would be a hypocrite if I got mad at you for blocking trackers and ads! If you aren't fond of the ads on this site, I highly encourage you to block them. Seriously.
Here are a few great ways to do it:
- uBlock Origin: The gold standard browser extension for blocking ads and trackers.
- Pi-hole or AdGuard Home: Self-hosted DNS sinkholes that block ads across your entire home network (highly recommended projects for your homelab!).
- Brave Browser: A solid privacy-focused browser with built-in ad blocking.
If you block the ads but still want to support the site, just keep reading, sharing, and hosting your own DAMN stuff!
The Bottom Line
Every guide, tutorial, and recommendation on this site starts with me. The AI is simply a tool I use to help translate my technical work into readable articles, and the ads/affiliate links exist solely to keep the project sustainable.
Thank you for reading, and happy hosting!