One-Day Intensive
Build a Cyberdeck
11.07.26 | 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM PST 4 hours in one focused day
Build a machine to get you out of Palantir's grasp -- no coding required.
with Liz Howard
Overview
Big Tech rents you your own digital life. This hands-on build day gets you out from under it: you'll assemble a cyberdeck -- a pocket-sized Linux computer you fully own -- from a cheap single-board computer (or an old phone gathering dust), a touchscreen, storage, and an all-day battery, in a case rugged enough to go anywhere. No coding or Linux experience required; we walk through every step, from flashing the OS to first boot. Along the way you'll learn what it actually takes to own your compute -- off the cloud, off the surveillance grid -- and how to push it further with off-grid mesh networking, satellite comms, and local AI. Build a machine to get you out of Palantir's grasp.
What You'll Master
- Build a pocket Linux computer that's genuinely yours
- Flash a real OS onto a cheap board, or resurrect a phone from your drawer
- Wire up screen, storage, and all-day power into a rugged deck
- Get out of Palantir's grasp: own your compute, off the surveillance grid
- Optional: go off-grid with LoRa mesh and satellite comms
Who this is for & what you'll need
No code
The AI writes any code. You'll never touch a terminal.
Physical parts
This class uses hardware you'll bring or build.
What to bring
Build your own handheld: a single-board computer (Orange Pi Zero 3 ~$25 up to Orange Pi 5 Max ~$350), a small screen, a high-endurance microSD card (~$10-35), a USB keyboard, and power (a USB-C power bank or 18650 cells) in an enclosure. Starter builds run ~$75-120; the syllabus has a full shopping list with links. Beginner-friendly with AI help, no prior experience.
Where This Class Leads
What you leave able to do
- locate a substitute part when the named one is unavailable
- locate an open source replacement for software you pay for
- run a program someone else wrote and read its error
- assemble a working computer from parts you chose
- repurpose a retired device into a working server
- produce a parts list you can actually source
- reproduce your environment on a machine that is not yours
How you show it. The declaration file, and the same program running on a second machine with no steps taken that are not in the file.
Join Us
One-Day Intensive
- Your seat in the class
- Lifetime access to materials
- Sponsors 1 scholarship seat for someone else
The minimum is $50, it keeps out spam. Need to pay less? Apply for a scholarship, no one is turned away for lack of funds.
Secure payment via Stripe
One-Day Intensive
- Your seat in the class
- Lifetime access to materials
- Sponsors 6 scholarship seats for someone else
The minimum is $350, it keeps out spam. Need to pay less? Apply for a scholarship, no one is turned away for lack of funds.
Secure payment via Stripe
One-Day Intensive
- Your seat in the class
- Lifetime access to materials
- Sponsors 14 scholarship seats for someone else
The minimum is $750, it keeps out spam. Need to pay less? Apply for a scholarship, no one is turned away for lack of funds.
Secure payment via Stripe
No sponsored scholarship seats are open in this class yet. Not enrolling, but want to put someone through this class?
Instructor
Want to schedule this class for your team?
Contact us: [email protected]