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Free software webmail services?

Off-Topic discussions about science, technology, and non Debian specific topics.
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jakobr
Posts: 10
Joined: 2015-04-21 08:43

Free software webmail services?

#1 Post by jakobr »

Anyone got experience with free software webmail services, that they can recommend?
I'm looking at https://www.openmailbox.org/ and it looks good - but your mail service is so important and sensitive and you want it to be working great and forever, so I thought that I would seek some advice before choosing.

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GarryRicketson
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Location: Durango, Mexico

Re: Free software webmail services?

#2 Post by GarryRicketson »

Ok, well, here is what I found:
at "mywot.com" there are all good reports;
https://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/www.openmailbox.org
So that is a good sign , I don't know, I have never used this e-mail service, "free e-mail services" are like "free hosting" they all have a "down side"
Mywot.com is a good place to check websites, hosting services, e-mail services, etc.
A down side of the "free e-mail" services, is they all have a high number of spammers using them.
I checked, there are 102 spammers listed at "Stop Forum Spam", all using "openmailbox.org"
Found 102 entries for "@openmailbox.org"
102 is not really very many, compared to
Found 1000 entries for "@gmail.com"
Hotmail,Yahoo are very highly abused too.
I also visited the website for openmail.org and it sounds ok, but again, I would be carefull on any free-email service, I realize not everyone can afford "paid e-mail services", so they need to find a good free one.
Also I would like to apologize,on the delay,
I am the one that put the post on "hold", this was to check some things out, and also only for the "meantime", until a administrator could approve or disaprove ,as you can see "admin" decided it is ok.
Thanks and again, sorry for the delay on it showing public.
Edited: It would not be appropriate for me to post the details of the results at the SFS search, but the "search engine" that checks the data base is available to the public. Sometimes there is a "captcha" though.
http://www.stopforumspam.com/search
Last edited by GarryRicketson on 2017-08-08 04:58, edited 2 times in total.

jakobr
Posts: 10
Joined: 2015-04-21 08:43

Re: Free software webmail services?

#3 Post by jakobr »

Thanks very much for the info. I don't necessarily want a free (of charge) webmail. I'm just looking for a webmail service that uses free software - and of course that is working well and is reliable and so on.

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keithpeter
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Re: Free software webmail services?

#4 Post by keithpeter »

My ISP uses the 'Roundcube' Web application to provide access to our email accounts via a Web page. Seems reliable. They also provide Squirrelmail for users who ask for it but don't recommend that anymore. These are front ends to pop/imap based email server.

One of my employers uses the Zimbra email/groupware application - runs https and seems quite feature rich. There is a community edition of Zimbra available that you can install on a Web server and there are people offering paid hosting of Zimbra accounts.

Let us know what you come up with...

jakobr
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Re: Free software webmail services?

#5 Post by jakobr »

For now I chose Openmailbox. They use Roundcube. It's just an extra webmail for me so I doubt that I'll be using it very much.

thenewguy
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Joined: 2011-07-09 19:35

Re: Free software webmail services?

#6 Post by thenewguy »

A while back I set up a small VPS with Squirrel Mail. It works pretty well, is easy to customize and lcovers the basics. If you don't mind doing the initial setup yourself, you can gain the benefit of running your own server and keep the price low.

jakobr
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Re: Free software webmail services?

#7 Post by jakobr »

Thanks - but I'm just looking for a webmail service.

somebodyelse
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Joined: 2015-05-24 17:15

Re: Free software webmail services?

#8 Post by somebodyelse »

Considering how your message has to travel and the powers that the powers-that-be have, I wouldn't worry too much about the freeness/openness of your webmail. Perhaps you should just pick the intrusive tech giant you dislike the least.

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GarryRicketson
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Location: Durango, Mexico

Re: Free software webmail services?

#9 Post by GarryRicketson »

jakobr wrote:For now I chose Openmailbox. They use Roundcube. It's just an extra webmail for me so I doubt that I'll be using it very much.
I am bumping this thread, it is really old, but about OpenMailbox,... I had also started using them shortly after this topic got started:
Free software webmail services?

Post by jakobr » 2015-06-23 17:21
Anyone got experience with free software webmail services, that they can recommend?
I'm looking at https://www.openmailbox.org/ and it looks good - but your mail service is so important and sensitive and you want it to be working great and forever, so I thought that I would seek some advice before choosing.
When jakabor posted here, I decided to check it out, and started a account, 2 years ago.

Today, 2 years later, I really regret it. Recently they just showdown, no notice or warning
what so ever. After a few days, they did have a message when you connected saying it was maintenance, and would be back on line soon. Then it even said in a few hours,...
not true, a couple of days later, it finally was back on line, sort of.
But a totally different interface, and it is lousy, very slow and difficult to figure out, but also, mail still no being sent or received.
They have absolutely no way to contact support, and also are going to discontinue the "free service", they finally did post a announcement about that, also have given the accounts that have been there for a long time a chance , 1 month, to pay , or no more
service, at least that is enough time to get my contacts and address, etc,... maybe , the site is so bad and slow, getting anything , even opening 1 message can take over a hour.
No way to contact them, and I was considering even paying for my account, but wanted
to ask some questions first, like if the new interface was permanent, or if there would be other options,.. as it is , for me it is use less. However since there is not a way to contact them, there is no way I would pay, ...If something goes wrong , I probably would be charged, but if the e-mail service does not work, and I can not contact support,..???
No way,... I strongly recommend , DO NOT USE THEM, do not start a new account at this time, something is very wrong with them, and it would not be wise to start a account.
They basically had become my main e-mail service, and I receive and send e-mail daily,
some of my contacts are important, and it is important I respond to any e-mail promptly,
Since there was no notice about doing site maintenance, or warning, well anyone can imagine, it threw a monkey wrench into my "routine", first off I had to contact the people
that were expecting response from me, advise them of a alternative e-mail,... then there was the e-mails I did not receive,..... argg, it was a mess.
I truly regret having gotten mixed up with these people at openmailbox.org,........
I have learned they have changed ownership, but apparently the new administration
is not very good,.. it is not a good e-mail service any more.
Generally so called "Free" e-mail services all are unreliable, and have problems, openmailbox is no different, but this shut down affected every one, including those
that were using paid accounts,.. I wouldn't use them , either way now, paid or free.
And won't be using them any more.


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GarryRicketson
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Re: Free software webmail services?

#11 Post by GarryRicketson »

There is plenty of good opensource software for a mail server, and there are many servers
using opensource Os's, with opensource software, the soft ware and OS is reliable enough.
I don't know of any "free e-mail services", that I would count on, and it is reasonable
to expect to pay a server owner / administrator something, keeping a server on line and well maintained is not "free", it does cost something and also a lot of work, to be reliable one probably needs to pay for techs to help as well.
For myself, I don't use Roundcube, but many do and it seems reliable, if some one wants to use a good e-mail server that only uses "opensource" software, a bit of searching, will yield results, many offer a "free service" , but are honest and will tell you it is intended
so a client can check it, and if they like it it is expected that later you will need to pay.
It is necessary to get paid , in order to provide a reliable system.
Any more now, the most reliable for me is on my own server, and I make sure it keeps
working, however it is not a "free meal", I do have to pay for the server, not counting my time, and the work,... actually once it was setup and running, there is not to much
"work" involved, but I don't have any other users to worry about.
Just to be on the safe side, though I also use another "paid" e-mail provider, they
are using "opensource" software and OS as well, how ever I don't feel this forum is
the right place to promote any particular e-mail provider, free or paid, so people just need
to do some searches, research, and try to decide which one would be best for them.
I suspect there are a lot of people out there that want to just abuse opensource software, get it for free, and the start making a bunch of money, and never contribute anything, ...
I suppose that would be another topic.
I feel kind of guilty, because I even posted here, saying openmailbox seemed pretty good,
And it was OK, but it is not trustworthy nor a good option any more, so like wise I felt I should tell anyone that happens to stumble onto this topic when searching,...things may change later, but I don't know, I certainly am not going to continue with them.

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debiman
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Re: Free software webmail services?

#12 Post by debiman »

don't feel guilty, i'd been recommending it myself and i always appreciated that it's donation-based, and the informational mails sent out were always honest and factual.

maybe pierre barre is not managing it anymore and gave it to some greedy a-hole that is intent on exploiting this...

or maybe pierre barre had a naive dream, how he can offer a service for free and people will just donate lots of $$$ and everything will magically work out and after paying for server costs there will be enough money for a bottle of wine at the end of the week...
and then the dream didn't work out, which led to disappointment, frustration, hate and disregard for his customers.

i find that last scenario more likely, esp. since i've seen it a lot in people. the negative side of naivety.

kedaha
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Re: Free software webmail services?

#13 Post by kedaha »

The subject of this topic, free software webmail services, is of great interest.

Free webmail services are provided by giant technology companies in accordance with terms of use; however, users' freedom is limited because they have no control over the email services provided apart from customisation through the usual web interface. Furthermore, users' email is subject to use for commercial purposes and who knows what else thus raising privacy concerns. Consequently many free software enthusiasts would prefer an email service, in the case of members of this place, based entirely on free Debian software with a web interface like roundcube or squirrelmail.

Such an email service, for personal, family, friends or perhaps even business use, which I have done myself, is to set up one's own email server on a home server on a raspberry pi (I'm not familiar with the alternatives like beaglebone) as detailed, for example here, when Debian can be used as the operating system in preference to raspbian; see wiki.debian.org/RaspberryPi2.

Why not use your desktop computer instead? As the writer of the tutorial says, running a raspberry pi 24/7/365 would only cost of about for under £5 of electricity per year. The only other costs would be the price of a domain and a static IP address.

If you have a decent dedicated server, you would be in a position to offer a free email service to all and sundry; however, this is not an undertaking to be taken lightly because, apart from the costs and time involved, accounts could easily be misused putting undue strain on the server and possibly leading to IP blacklisting.

Setting up your own email server needs quite a lot of time and effort but I think it's well worth it because it is an excellent way to learn systems administration. However, people who don't have the time or the inclination to do it themselves but who'd like to use a truly free email service in the spirit of free software may be interested to see fsf.org/resources/webmail-systems.
Obviously free and gratis email services —supported initially by crowdfunding and later by donations— on these lines can only be set up and maintained by a team since such an undertaking would involve too much time, effort and responsibility for any one systems administrator.
DebianStable

Code: Select all

$ vrms

No non-free or contrib packages installed on debian!  rms would be proud.

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dasein
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Re: Free software webmail services?

#14 Post by dasein »

[quote="kedaha"]people... who'd like to use a truly free email service in the spirit of free software may be interested to see fsf.org/resources/webmail-systems.
I can't help but notice that that list hasn't been updated in many years. (Just sayin')

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