Everyone who uses modern computer technology has skin in the game. Whether we’re actively contributing code to the kernel doesn’t change our ability to hold opinions on its development.

In the same way many don’t have skin in the game in the middle east and yet it is still perfectly legitimate to hold opinions on the atrocities being committed there.

“Skin in the game” is a thought terminating cliche used to unjustifiably shield oneself from criticism.

Tailcat is a remix of Tailscale open source pieces to act like netcat, but over Tailscale’s data plane, without Tailscale’s control plane. Tailscale’s data plane (magicsock, internally) gives you point-to-point WireGuard®-encrypted tunnels between two machines with DERP as the NAT-hole-punching communication side channel and the ultimate relay-of-last-resort if NAT traversal fails. Instead of using the Tailscale control plane, all tailcat connection metadata is exchanged out of band, however you want.