This is a personal opinion piece. I do not represent Nethesis, and I do not speak on behalf of the NethServer/NethSecurity project.
I want to share a decision that gives me some vertigo and a lot of hope: I’m going to restart development of my client for NethSecurity. This is not a restart out of whim, but out of a need to do things properly: with a new image, a new name, and above all, with respect for the rules, licenses, and trademark rights.
I have sent an email to Nethesis to ask what the rules are. I would rather lose a week asking questions than go down a path that might violate laws or rights. In free software, we sometimes forget that good intentions do not replace legal compliance. If I want to build something lasting for the community, the first step is not to step on anyone’s toes. Nethesis has its trademarks, its licenses, and its conditions; I want to understand them before publishing anything with the new name and image.
Why restart? Because the previous project taught me a lot, but it also left me with technical debt and legal doubts that I do not want to drag along. A client for NethSecurity only makes sense if it is useful, maintainable, and transparent. I do not want a patch that works today and embarrasses me tomorrow. I want a tool that the community can look at, audit, criticize, and improve. And for that, you have to start with clear foundations.
Right now, I’m moving forward little by little. The income I have is enough for food and low-cost medicine. It is not a dramatic situation, but it is real: I develop when I can, with the resources I have. My next goal is to save up for a refurbished mini PC and set up my homelab. I do not need a data center or a top-of-the-line server. With a used machine, properly configured, I can test, break, rebuild, and devote myself to this with more peace of mind. That homelab will not be a luxury: it will be my laboratory, my workshop, and my way of giving something back to the community.
I know many will say: “Why not look for funding?” I am not ruling it out. But I also do not want to turn this into a charity campaign. I prefer to move forward, show results, and let support come if the project deserves it. If someone wants to help, let it be with feedback, testing, documentation, or a donation that does not compromise the project’s independence. What I do not want is to promise more than I can deliver.
I ask the NethServer community for three things: patience, constructive criticism, and respect for the process. I understand there are expectations, but there is also a person behind this, with limited time and limited resources. I am not competing with anyone. I am trying to contribute. If you do not like the new client, tell me. If you see a legal mistake, warn me. If you want to test it when it is ready, you are welcome.
I also want to be clear: I will not use the name or image of Nethesis or NethSecurity without authorization. I will not sell smoke or promise compatibility that does not exist. If Nethesis tells me something cannot be done, I will accept it and look for another way. The community does not need another project that ends in a legal dispute or in abandonment.
Restarting is not giving up. It is ordering the chaos, learning from mistakes, and coming back with more care. Maybe progress will be slow. Maybe the refurbished mini PC will take a while to arrive. But in the meantime, I will keep writing code, reading licenses, asking questions, and dreaming of a humble homelab where this NethSecurity client can grow in a healthy way.
Thanks to those who have been close, to those who ask questions, and to those who, without knowing me, defend free software as a form of cooperation. This is not only mine. If it goes well, it will belong to the community.
We’ll keep reading each other.