sovereignty Archives

AppWizard

December 30, 2025

Russia enforces Max messenger as mandatory digital passport app | Ukraine news

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law that designates the Max messaging app as a digital passport, allowing users to verify their age and identity at public venues using a QR code. The app is mandatory for civil servants, public employees, and students, with non-compliance risking dismissal or expulsion. The Max app consolidates essential documents and communication tools, raising privacy concerns as user data becomes accessible to state agencies, including the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Critics describe the initiative as a move towards a tightly controlled system, with some referring to it as a “digital GULAG.” Russian authorities are promoting the app's integration into citizens' lives as part of a broader agenda to control digital existence.

Tech Optimizer

December 24, 2025

Toolkit Brings Agentic AI Workloads To Enterprise Postgres Environments – Open Source For You

An open-source toolkit called the pgEdge Agentic AI Toolkit for Postgres has been released in beta to facilitate the development of agentic AI applications on standard PostgreSQL infrastructure. It addresses the challenges of transitioning from prototype applications to production systems that meet enterprise-level standards for database, security, and regulatory compliance. The toolkit supports various deployment environments, including on-premises and self-managed cloud setups, and is particularly useful for organizations requiring high availability, control over data residency, or air-gapped operations. It includes a Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server for secure connections between AI agents and PostgreSQL databases, natural-language agents accessible via CLI and web interfaces, and a suite of Postgres extensions for AI workloads. Key features include automated vector embedding generation, a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) API server, document ingestion utilities, and hybrid semantic and full-text search. The toolkit is compatible with recent PostgreSQL versions and is fully open source under the Postgres license, with enterprise support for pgEdge subscribers and a managed cloud version expected in early 2026.

AppWizard

December 23, 2025

Students in Russia are forced to use Putin’s national messaging app Max

Universities in Russia are mandating the installation of the national messaging app, Max, for students, with reports of pressure and sanctions for those who refuse. At Northern (Arctic) Federal University, students must download Max to access essential educational functions, as the current system will be replaced. The government of Arkhangelsk region announced a transition to Max for all educational institutions by November 2025, citing digital sovereignty and safety concerns. By the end of November, at least 23 universities reported coercion to adopt Max. At Kuban State Technological University, students are monitored for connections to Max, and registration is required. St. Petersburg State University has restricted Wi-Fi access to users of Max. Kazan Federal University plans to limit access to facilities and resources through Max starting in 2026. At Baikal State University, students without Max cannot take exams or receive credits. Kursk Medical University students face threats regarding attendance and exam retakes without the app. Some students at Kuban State University have been warned about disciplinary measures for non-compliance. The Ministry of Digital Development stated that coercion to install Max is illegal, though no alternatives are provided. Max, developed by a VK subsidiary, was established as a national messenger and is promoted as a secure alternative to foreign apps. However, it lacks end-to-end encryption, raising concerns about user data surveillance. Recent legislation has also expanded Max's functions to include age verification for purchases and communication for housing management.

Tech Optimizer

December 18, 2025

pgEdge Announces pgEdge Agentic AI Toolkit for Postgres

pgEdge has released the beta version of its Agentic AI Toolkit for Postgres, aimed at developers building Agentic AI applications with high availability, security, and data sovereignty requirements. The toolkit includes features such as a fully featured MCP Server compatible with standard Postgres versions, Natural Language Agents for data querying, pgEdge-vectorizer for text chunking and vector embeddings, a pgEdge RAG Server for Retrieval-Augmented Generation, and a pgEdge-docloader for making initial material searchable. It also supports locally hosted models and high availability for various workloads, and is compatible with PostgreSQL versions 16, 17, and 18. The toolkit is available for free to all Postgres users, with support for paid subscribers of pgEdge Enterprise and Distributed Postgres. It will be included in the pgEdge Cloud managed service by Q1 2026.

Tech Optimizer

December 16, 2025

EnterpriseDB updates WarehousePG with features that fuel AI

EnterpriseDB has introduced new features for EDB Postgres AI for WarehousePG, including per-core pricing and real-time data streaming. WarehousePG is an open-source PostgreSQL data warehouse derived from the Greenplum Database project, part of the EDB Postgres AI platform launched in May 2024. The enhancements include: - Real-time streaming data capabilities for immediate access to data for AI applications. - A predictable per-core pricing model to help manage AI development costs. - Improved data observability and sovereignty features with flexible deployment options across cloud and on-premises environments. These updates aim to address financial pressures associated with AI development, as enterprises increasingly invest in AI technologies. The per-core pricing model stabilizes costs compared to consumption-based models, while the data streaming capabilities support modern AI workflows. The update also includes an AI-ready architecture, flexible deployment options, and data governance features.

Tech Optimizer

December 16, 2025

EDB Postgres® AI for WarehousePG Extends the Sovereign Platform with Petabyte-Scale Analytics

EnterpriseDB (EDB) has made advancements in its offerings, particularly with EDB Postgres AI (EDB PG AI) for WarehousePG, focusing on petabyte-scale analytics and real-time streaming capabilities. A unified platform is gaining traction, with 42% of enterprises adopting such solutions and 35% standardizing on Postgres. Companies using AI in warehouse operations report ROI up to five times higher. EDB PG AI offers deploy-anywhere flexibility, predictable economic models, and potential cost savings of up to 62% compared to leading cloud data warehouses. It also allows for rapid migrations, including a zero-migration binary swap for Greenplum workloads. EDB is committed to open source, managing WarehousePG as an Apache 2.0-licensed project. Key features include a per-core pricing model, hybrid deployment capabilities, AI-ready architecture, unified analytics, and improved observability and governance. Customers like MNTN and Euronext FX have benefited from EDB's solutions, achieving stability and control over their data management. Kyobo Book Centre has transitioned to EDB PG AI to regain predictable costs and compliance control. The latest enhancements in EDB PG AI's Q4 release include no-code visibility tools for automated storage optimization and proactive security recommendations. EDB is also publishing a guide on building data and AI platforms with PostgreSQL.

AppWizard

December 5, 2025

Banned and blocked. Russia says good-bye to messaging apps

Russia's censorship agency, Roskomnadzor, has banned several popular communication platforms, including Snapchat, WhatsApp, and FaceTime, citing their use in organizing terrorist acts, recruiting criminals, and committing fraud. The ban on WhatsApp, a widely used messaging app in Russia, is expected to have significant implications. This decision follows a pattern of increasing digital restrictions, with other services such as Facebook, Instagram, Signal, Viber, and Google Meet also being blocked. Russian authorities are promoting a national messaging app called Max, which is set to become mandatory in public sectors by January 1, 2026. Max will require full access to users' devices and will collect telemetry and metadata, raising privacy concerns due to its integration with government systems.

Winsage

November 28, 2025

Why people keep flocking to Linux in 2025 (and it’s not just to escape Windows)

The Linux desktop has seen a rise in popularity, attributed to user distrust in Microsoft Windows, particularly as Windows 10 nears the end of its support life. Zorin OS 18 achieved 1 million downloads in its first month, with 78% from Windows users. Linux desktop market share increased from 1.5% in 2020 to over 4% in 2024, with a peak of over 5% in the US by 2025. The current US figure shows Linux at 3.49%, while the "unknown" category accounts for 4.21%, suggesting many could be running Linux. ChromeOS, a Linux variant, has a market share of 3.67%, bringing the total Linux desktop market share to approximately 11.37%. When including Android, Linux's presence rises to 41.71% in the US and 72.55% globally. The Digital Analytics Program reports a 5.8% market share for Linux desktops, up from 0.67% a decade ago, with a total of 23.3% when including Chrome OS and Android for government site access. Windows 10 holds a 16.9% market share, while Windows 11 is at 13.5%. Factors driving Linux adoption include Microsoft's shift to cloud services, improved gaming capabilities, better usability, hardware compatibility, and concerns about privacy. Approximately 25% of Windows 10 PCs cannot upgrade to Windows 11, with 26% of users planning to continue using Windows 10 post-support. Digital sovereignty is becoming important for users outside the US, with European governments seeking alternatives to Microsoft, leading to increased exploration of Linux solutions.

AppWizard

November 15, 2025

Tajikistan unveils national messaging app ORIZ

Tajiktelecom JSC has launched ORIZ, a national messaging application aimed at enhancing secure communication for local citizens and Tajiks abroad. The app is designed to provide reliable communication even under low internet speeds, with servers located in Tajikistan. It addresses the challenges faced by Tajik migrants due to restrictions on foreign platforms and aims to improve digital sovereignty for Tajikistan. ORIZ supports messaging, voice calls, and video conferences without interruption.

AppWizard

November 13, 2025

Tajikistan Launches ORIZ Messenger for Digital Sovereignty and Data Security

Tajikistan has launched the Oriz Messenger, a messaging application aimed at enhancing communication within the nation. The app focuses on user privacy and data security, features a user-friendly interface, and includes functionalities tailored to local preferences, such as support for regional languages and culturally relevant emojis. This initiative is part of the Tajik government's strategy to promote digital literacy and reduce reliance on foreign applications, fostering the country's digital economy.