Thomas's reply (below) wasn't sent to the list originally. It seems like in the right direction, but I feel the difficulty is still quite high.
For context: I would like some resources and help with migrating all aspects of my digital life to ones that promote a free society. I already use a free operating system, and am happy with that part. I disconnected from Facebook and Twitter and don't miss them. The main non-free network services I use heavily are for email and calendar. (Minor network services I use are for task list, akrasia-management, and scheduling events, but I have a feeling it will be easy for me to write my own simple replacements for these after changing the way I approach email.) So, I am looking for a guide for semi-technical users on how to escape Gmail and Google Calendar. Also, I want to know more about why I should even care about escaping from them. I don't have anything to hide, I like the side-benefits of tracking (it outweighs the cost for me), and I trust Google's privacy policy. However, the main argument that does it for me is that such a large and detailed repository of someone's life is inherently dangerous: maybe one day the culture will change and it will turn out that I do have something to hide, or maybe the company will turn out different than I thought or change their policy. Furthermore, by setting the example and paving the way to migrate out, I make it easier for people who currently really do need to be using free services only, and it helps me to make a point in discussion if I practice what I preach. Is there a wiki guide or an online community of people for helping other people migrate to free network services? I thought it would be made of a lot of the people also on LibrePlanet... :) On Sat, Jun 2, 2012 at 11:34 AM, Thomas Harding <[email protected]> wrote: > On 02/06/2012 09:47, Ramana Kumar wrote: >> >> I use Gmail and Google Calendar heavily, via the web interface. > > /your will/ > >> I have been thinking about trying out Thunderbird and Lightning instead, >> to slowly migrate my life to less dependence on non-free software and >> services. > > There are numerous Libre mail clients, from text (terminal) to graphical > interface. >> >> However, I'm also interested in what a completely free life would look >> like. >> I have my own domain, xrchz.net <http://xrchz.net>, which doesn't point >> anywhere. >> I also have an email address, [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>, which currently forwards to Gmail. >> If I wanted to use [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> or >> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> as my primary email >> address, without using Google's mail services, how could I go about doing >> that? >> >> Is there a good free and libre mail server I could use? >> Or what other options are there? > > > I don't know of a Libre mail service, but I use my own, home hosted (with MX > from my registrar as fallback, but there is no requirement on that (smtp > error 450 is enough do the trick...)). > > The requirements are having a fixed IP and to set up your two DNS on that IP > for MX record of your domain. > Also, you cannot use dialup connection (or it must be up h24). > > You can also rent a (virtual private) server (or 2+ if you are a large > organization) in a farm. > > A "polite" registrar is gandi.net (there are many scam artists claiming to > be registrar). > You have full control on yours (2 mandatory) DNS (your own, your zone hosted > by registrar, or mixed). > Also it relies and promotes Free Software (and this is relatively cheap). > > My ADSL ISP offers fixed IP as default, but generally this is a contracted > option (or if not offered at all, change for a good ISP). This annoying > thing will end up while IPv4 goes down. > > It also offers control on reverse-DNS record for your IP > (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx.in-addr.arpa). This can impacts on mail filtering. > > My home server is a home made, built on a low consumption and low-cost > pico-ITX board and a 2.5" disc, and offers also other services than mail, > both ADSL box and server are plugged on an UPS (even if modern file systems > resists, a too large amount of fs errors could occurs). > Regarding mail, software is: > * smtp server : Postfix (with SSL, and submission port enabled, as a lot > of ISPs blocks outgoing tcp 25) > * imap server : cyrus (with SSL) > * filtering : SpamAssassin (with RBLs), ClamAV (having problems these days > with signatures download). Greylists are also good and the only option for > mail filtering on small memory micro systems -- such as an NSLU2 (5w > consumption) I used before. > * Os: Debian GNU/Linux (main) > * SSL : openSSL "home generated" CA and certificates (imaps, mail > submission through unsafe networks). The only trusted CA is mine. > > Other known mail and imap servers: sendmail (<troll>if you can write your > own m4 macros or have a finite state machine brain hosted</troll>), courier > (complete), dovecot (imap), exim (smtp), gmail-notify (notification. there > are also notification -- and sieve -- services built in cyrus), gnu mail > utilities also offers some services, etc. > > There are plenty of HowTos around Internet on that, also Usenet comp.mail.* > (fr.comp.mail.serveurs in French)... > > >> Similarly, where could I host my calendar so I could update it from any >> computer on the internet (including, say, my office computer and my phone), >> and also (less important) share it with certain other people? > > > Apache web server do that. There is a module (webdav?) to enable. > > HTH, > TH.
