The Spirit of Software Frugality
Translated by GPT
Software Frugality.
I’ve been running a home server for over 5 years. Initially, I used an LG Gram laptop, then an HP FreeDOS laptop with Ubuntu installed, and now I’m using an M1 Mac Mini as my main home server. As a result, the only server cost I have now is the electricity bill. Even considering performance, I’m saving over 150,000 won a month.
Personally, I believe that software developers should have a foundation of frugality. When there’s a lot of money in the market, you could boost productivity by injecting capital, even if inefficiently, but things are different now. The mainstream approach has become to optimize code as much as possible to create a significant business impact and enhance price competitiveness.
It’s necessary to practice developing and deploying with minimal spending. Personally, I use a Mac Mini home server + letsencrypt + GoCD (self-hosted) + Cloudflare R2, Page stack. Most of these are either cheap or free. The time it takes to deploy is not much different from using Vercel or other paid SaaS services.
The software industry has evolved to achieve maximum efficiency at minimal cost. Even in open source, there are people who develop without expecting capital compensation. Open source based on the open core model also helps reduce costs through self-hosted options.
This spirit of cost-saving is extremely advantageous for startups just beginning. They can achieve maximum results and runway with minimal capital. Perhaps in the future, developers with a frugal mindset will be prioritized.