Post by Abdullah Tülek

Validating the Architecture: From Localhost to Global Scale at FOSDEM 2026 Two months ago, I shared the "OverThinkPad" project: a W530 workstation hardened with Coreboot, Intel ME Neutralization, and Qubes OS. Building it was an engineering challenge; validating it at the source was a diplomatic mission. Last weekend, I represented my vision and my university at FOSDEM 2026 in Brussels, the epicenter of the Open Source world. Report - Engaging the Core Developers: It is one thing to read documentation; it is another to sit down with the architects of the systems you rely on. My primary objective was to bridge the gap between using open source and living it. - Qubes OS & Xen Project: I had the privilege of discussing system isolation and IOMMU virtualization directly with Marek Marczkowski-Górecki and the Xen Project team. My W530 now carries their signatures on its lid, a seal of approval for the hardware architecture I built. - Coreboot & Firmware: I engaged in deep technical discussions with the Coreboot maintainers regarding firmware security. I am returning with a unique RP2040-based development board, a gift from the team that will serve as the foundation for my next embedded project. - Privacy Operations: Established direct contact with the Tor Project and Tails teams to discuss privacy advocacy and network resilience. Full-Stack Observation: Beyond the kernel level, I analyzed the entire open source ecosystem. From low-level hardware discussions at the Pine64 and RISC-V stands to packet analysis workflows with Wireshark, multimedia optimization with VLC, and data/server management with PostgreSQL, MySQL, Proxmox, and metal-stack.io; I observed how the global community integrates these layers. I also attended 30+ technical talks delivered directly by the developers themselves. The Philosophy - "Libres, Ensemble": As seen on the walls of Brussels, the spirit here is "Free, Together." Technical sovereignty isn't a solitary pursuit; it's a collective effort. I returned to Türkiye with a verified workstation, exclusive hardware, and a significantly expanded network. The "OverThinkPad" is no longer just a project; it is now a globally connected node. Special thanks to Mustafa Yeniad for instilling the Open Source philosophy that made this journey possible. Next Step: Lab integration of the new hardware and expanding the research scope. #FOSDEM2026 #OpenSource #Coreboot #QubesOS #SystemArchitecture #Cybersecurity #Networking #Engineering #Brussels