I'm Matt Baer, a designer, developer, and techno-minimalist.

I've been building for the web since before I had two digits in my age. In that time, I've watched it go from a funky, creative space to a creepy (but shiny and pretty) panopticon. I've seen computers go from useful tools to pointless shrunken slot machines. I block half the internet to make it usable, and die a bit inside every time I turn on my smartphone.

Technology shouldn't be this repellent. So I'm building it differently, and sharing how others might do that, too.

I like to write, so in 2015 I built the online space I'd feel comfortable writing in, called Write.as. It doesn't make me want to throw my computer out the window when I use it, so I consider it a wild success. After I saw other people liked that too, I made it open source and called it WriteFreely.

Now I'm designing and building more simple, focused tools just like it. Each one works on its own, or with each other and the wider web, depending on what you need. Right now, we have pared-down photo sharing with Snap.as, and submission management with Submit.as. Then there's comments, private notes, and collaborative editing all planned for the future.

Oh yeah, and we're doing this without venture capital or advertising. There's no exit in sight, just a successful long-term business. We make money when people like what we build -- not because we sell their data off to advertisers. It's a long and slow road to sustainability, but the web needs it, so we're doing it.

As a patron, you directly advance this dream of more creative, privacy-focused tools coming to life. You keep me going, and help keep the dream of an open, accessible, and decentralized web alive. If you like what I'm building, please consider becoming a patron!