Question 1

Do I need a cloud subscription to run Winston?

Accepted Answer

No. Winston is a one-time software purchase. The software, the models and your data run on your own machine. Nothing sits in somebody else's data centre, and nothing stops working, unless you try to break it's compliant systems.

Question 2

What does the Founder's Alpha cost, and where is it available?

Accepted Answer

A lifelong license is €100 including Dutch VAT. Winston ships as a limited edition strictly within the Netherlands, and the Alpha includes your own instance on your hardware, ongoing software updates* and a place in Winston's development and feedback loop.

Question 3

What hardware do I need to run Winston?

Accepted Answer

Winston runs natively on Linux Ubuntu within a dedicated Python environment. A host with 24GB+ (V)RAM, 1TB SSD is the advised minimum.

Question 4

How many people can live with one Winston?

Accepted Answer

Up to 5 local users have been tested. If you want to run Winston for more than 5 people, please let me know.

Question 5

Can I access Winston when I am away from home?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I use Cloudflared tunnels for allowing winston to be on the internet. However keep in mind that such systems always have a risk of being compromised. Winston has a built-in security watchdog, but the more you expose it to the internet, the more risk you take.

Question 6

What does Winston learn about me - and can I control it?

Accepted Answer

Winston organizes your world into five Personal Context Levels. Scoring how relevant every data point is. The more you use it, the more accurate he becomes.

Question 7

Who owns the data Winston keeps?

Accepted Answer

You do. Your data never leaves your hardware unless you explicitly want it to, and it is yours to export or erase in full at any time. If you want to share it with me, you can do so by exporting it and sending it to me. I will never have access to your data unless you explicitly give it to me.

Question 8

If I give winston access to my data, is it safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but keep in mind that any system will always have a risk of being compromised. Winston has a built-in security watchdog, but what you do with your data is your responsibility.

Question 9

What is Winston built on, and can I inspect it?

Accepted Answer

Verifiable open-source foundations: Ollama, Qdrant, Flask, Home Assistant and more are his building blocks. Feel free to contact me for a full list of libraries and their licenses, and you can inspect them all to verify their behavior.

Question 10

Will Winston get better over time?

Accepted Answer

That is the whole idea! Edge AI hardware and local models grow more capable every year, your data can migrate, your hardware can be upgraded, and its understanding of you only deepens with the history he keeps.

I bridge the gap between complex systems and human experience

A selection of my cases

I follow

The 3 principles

I take the time to understand complexity

Details matter!

I take ownership in what I make

Introducing Winston

Active since 2019

How can I help you?

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