I get the point about servers and sovereignty — but that’s exactly why I’m critical of Umbrel.
If you’re doing anything serious, you shouldn’t be running a “node OS” at all. You run Deb...
I agree with your thesis. I don’t run Umbrel, but I’m a bigger fan of it than you seem to be. It’s tough for most folks to jump right into the deep end with Linux. That’s why I think Umbrel or even better start9 is a good place to start on the server side. Then run Linux on your laptop. Make it your daily driver. Learn how to make it dance and sing, and then if you like you can level up from Umbrel or start9.