The Beginning
My first computer was a 486DX2 with a 56k modem. Before I could go online, I had to yell at my mom to get off the phone. My family was one of the first in the neighborhood to get DSL. From then on computers and hardware never let go of me.
I grew up in the early internet culture, with file-sharing communities and forums. I took things apart to learn how they work. I still want to know how systems work behind the scenes.
School and University
After Realschule, I tried to become a media designer. On the side I earned money as a website designer and builder. I have always worked.
At university I first tried Sensortechnik at Hochschule Karlsruhe. It was too much about power engineering and not enough about computers. So I switched to Medientechnik at Hochschule Offenburg. That fit much better.
Freelance IT Work
Even before university I did IT work for small businesses. I designed websites and set up office infrastructure. I also maintained servers. I still do. Alongside everything else, I have been a freelance IT generalist for almost 20 years.
- Small office IT: network setup, workstations, backup, ongoing maintenance. I still look after one client's entire office IT.
- Web development and hosting for small businesses and clubs, some clients for over 10 years
- Self-hosted infrastructure: Nextcloud, WordPress, mail servers, DNS
- Video production and WordPress shop development in the early years
At ZKM
In 2015 I started at ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe. ZKM is often called the “digital Bauhaus” and was one of the world’s first institutions dedicated to media art. There are microcontrollers and computers in all shapes and sizes. I write tools to control and maintain the exhibition infrastructure.
To make digital art work in a museum, I need web development and system administration there. I also tinker with hardware.
Current Work
Today I work in several areas.
- Exhibition Technology: Building and maintaining the systems that keep artworks running
- 3D Printing: I have a printer at home and introduced 3D printing at ZKM for custom exhibition bases, sensor mounts, and adapters
- AI Implementation: I am working on AI tools for ZKM employees
- Research: I am writing a contribution to the catalogue for the browser art exhibition "Choose Your Filter"
Beyond the Museum
I have done IT for small businesses since before university. In the museum everything is bigger and more complex, but the work is the same. I have to understand the system and make it work. After that I have to keep it secure. Security was always part of it. Sometimes I lock down exhibition PCs in a public space, sometimes I audit a company’s network after a breach.
- IT Security Consulting: Security audits for small and medium businesses, with physical security reviews, network analysis and reports written for business owners
- Self-Hosted Infrastructure: Running and maintaining servers, Nextcloud instances, DNS filtering, and web hosting for long-term clients
- Open Source: Building tools like boxctl (containerized AI agent environments), FilterDNS (self-hosted DNS filtering), and Home Assistant integrations
- Home Automation: Smart home setups with Home Assistant, custom sensor integrations, and energy monitoring
Philosophy
My approach is simple. Whatever works. Sometimes it is LiDAR sensors, sometimes it is a Raspberry Pi with a script that presses buttons every hour. I care more about reliable solutions than elegant ones.
I use Linux, not Apple. Open source matters to me, and I think what works should be shared with the community. That is why my tools are publicly available.