They stopped doing that in 2017. Until now.

I had the same setup and the same problems with VPN (in my case Wireguard) server availability. While looking for a solution I realized I was trying to solve an architecture problem with software.

Instead of trying to find a software solution to work around my WG server uptime issues, I moved the Wireguard endpoint to an OpenWRT router. Now if my router is up, my WG endpoint is up and my network is accessible. I’ve been running this configuration for years and it has been 100% accessible.

I’m comfortable with the security of WG - open ports for WG endpoints are invisible to network scanners because they do not respond at all and appear closed unless they are sent the the correct key. Even if an attacker has some way of know a WG peer is listening on a specific port, cracking a 256-bit key would take trillions of years. I was then free to choose a remote access application without worrying about remote attackers gaining access to my servers because of some company’s failed security.

FOSS VNC server apps work OK, but I found them somewhat limited so I added NoMachine as my primary option and run both. It’s a commercial app but it’s free, and is one of the only closed source app I use. It can be run 100% locally (although they have a paid option that uses their servers). It allows full control over your servers including file transfer and audio.

Doesn’t check all your boxes, but it comes close.

I worked for a Fortune 100 company that hired lots of H-1B workers. The company loved them not only because they settled for less money, but because they worked ridiculous hours and could not easily change jobs. Those H-1B workers created big problems for American employees.

H-1B employees did not have family in the US, did not have a social life, and routinely worked 100 hours a week. Most American employees had wives, children, relatives and outside activities, and could not and would not work those kinds of hours. 60-70 hours a week was typical.

When H-1B employees work 30%-40% 43%-67% more hours their work production will almost always exceed that of their American counterparts, and that’s exactly what happened.

When peer-ranking and reviews were done the H1-B employees exceeded the raw metrics of their American counterparts and ranked higher. It was common for Americans to be forced out because they refused to work 100 hours a week and management did not give a damn about their quality of life.

There may be situations where companies use the H1-B program because they cannot find employees with the right skill sets, but I saw none of those. Instead the program was used to source people one step up from indentured servants.

As delusional as AI can be, they don’t even begin to approach the psychotic insanity of the child rapist and his magats.

Yet another reason to avoid McDonald’s, as if the lousy food wasn’t enough.

Cities should be just as afraid of deploying Flock cameras.