Owning your data: The open source path with Nextcloud and MariaDB

Andy Scherzinger, VP of Engineering at Nextcloud, talks about the goal of growing the Nextcloud App Store from 600 to 6,000 apps, explains when to build an ExApp instead of a classic PHP app, how abandoned apps can find new maintainers, and why AI coding agents can help keep older apps alive but don't replace code review and testing.

Anna Larch, Developer Relations at Nextcloud, talks about its shift toward more structured community management, shares her views on the growing need for digital sovereignty, Nextcloud's new ISV Partner Program, and why the Nextcloud Community Awards favor small and niche contributors instead of those with the biggest audiences.

Johanna Pirker is a professor of computer science at TU Munich and TU Graz, founder of the Game Lab Graz, and a member of the UN Independent International Scientific Panel on AI. She works at the intersection of AI, games, virtual and augmented reality, and human-computer interaction. We tap into her perspective on where gaming meets learning, learning meets AI, and where open source tools foster innovation in her fields.

In this episode of the Nextcloud Podcast, we meet Aline Blankertz, a German data economist and digital rights campaigner. Aline is an economist and Tech Economy Lead at Rebalance Now, where she works on strategies to counter concentrated power in digital markets. She combines years of experience in competition economics with a strong commitment to making markets democratically accountable.

This episode of the Nextcloud Podcast is an exciting contributor story. And just in time before holidays, we are talking about cooking... and code. Meet Christian Wolf, a long-term Nextcloud contributor and maintainer of the famous Cookbook app! During his early coding days, Christian was trying to learn more about web applications. Seeking an app to sharpen his skills with, he came across the Cookbook app. Many years later, Christian is the main brain behind Cookbook, while the app is one of the most popular apps on Nextcloud App Store. Christian shares with us how he got into coding and open source, his work on the Cookbook app and his vision for its future, and tips for people who want to start developing for Nextcloud.

We meet Simon Lindner, software engineer at Nextcloud, the developer of Nextcloud AIO, to duscover the history and present of Nextcloud AIO, Simon's personal journey, and, of course, everything a meticulous admin wants to know about the easiest way to host Nextcloud.

We're joined by Anna and Michael "Monty" Widenius, the people behind the MariaDB Foundation, who are here to help us unpack the challenges of the open source business, vendor lock-in, and owning your data through their unique lens — and experience.

From Andy's approach to problem-solving and guiding others to his personal values that give him direction, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, community, and personal growth.

In this episode, we explore how open source solutions are revolutionizing the way governments work, from collaboration and knowledge sharing to digital sovereignty and artificial intelligence. Sven shares the factors that influenced their decision to adopt open source solutions, their implementation strategies along the way, and lessons learned from the adoption of open source in Munich.

Edward Snowden's disclosures in 2013 were not only revelatory but also catalyzed a necessary discussion around mass surveillance and yet Constanze argues we've since lost momentum in this critical conversation. She expresses concern that, as the public has become increasingly complacent, the intelligence services have grown even more powerful and influential. We reflect on the changing landscape of hacktivism and investigative reporting, and how policy is struggling to keep pace with modern technological advancements. Constanze also reminds us that there's still much work to be done in addressing the pressing issues facing us today – from mass surveillance and data protection to predictive policing and platform capitalism.