Published on : 2026-09-19 12:02
       
       I like automation. I really do. I just don't think everything 
       needs to be automated. Some things I prefer to do myself, like:
       
       Docker image updates
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       I use specific image versions:
       
           alpine:3.14
       
       Not latest, and definitely not an automated updater like 
       watchtower that decides my containers need a surprise reboot at 
       3 AM.
       
       
       If I want to update an image, I change the version, pull it and 
       watch the logs myself. I want to know what changed.
       
       OS Updates
       ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
       I use Ubuntu server so it was really easy disabling automatic 
       updates:
       
           sudo systemctl disable --now unattended-upgrades
       
       and change /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades to:
       
           APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "1";
           APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "0";
       
       Deployments
       ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
       No automatic deployments from Git.
       
           Commit -> Review -> Deploy -> Update
       
       The extra step is intentional even if I'm the only one using that
       git repository.
       
       Container restarts
       ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
       Restart policies are useful, but I don't want a broken service 
       endlessly resurrecting itself. A container restarting 500 times 
       isn't "high availability". It's a cry for help.
       
       My containers run until I tell them to stop.sh: syntax error: unexpected end of file
       
       My general rule is simple:
       ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
           Automate repetitive tasks. Don't automate surprises.
       
       I run a homelab because I enjoy knowing what's happening inside 
       it. I automate repetitive tasks where I want to see the output 
       with aliases:
       
 (DIR)  Using aliases for complex and daily terminal commands
       
       If something else starts making infrastructure decisions without 
       asking me, I'm taking its keyboard and permissions away.
       
 (DIR)  Back to my phlog