[sylpheed:36950] Where to start de-googling

On 5/8/20 12:01 pm, Celejar wrote:
 > It's really not that difficult to at least reduce, if not altogether
 > eliminate, Google from your computing life. It's not all or nothing;
 > you can take steps to remove Google piecemeal from your life. I went
 > from regular Android to LineageOS, Google search to mostly DuckDuckGo
 > (although I still find I need Google for things that DDG can't find),
 > Gmail to GMX and Zoho for personal mail (although I still use Gmail for
 > some public list traffic, like this message;).
 >
 > I'm still working on OsmAnd+ for mobile navigation; the software, maps,
 > and directions are quite good, but the lack of a usable address-to-GPS
 > coordinates service for my area is still a dealbreaker.
 >
 > Celejar

AND


On 5/8/20 4:09 pm, Steve O'Hara-Smith wrote:
 > On Wed, 5 Aug 2020 09:44:33 +1000
 > Keith bainbridge <[email protected]> wrote:
 >
 >> Yes, but where to start?
 >
 > 	Some aspects are very easy, search with DuckDuckGo or IxQuick for
 > example.
 >
 > 	For email a search on 'email provider' will produce a large list of
 > options, or you can register a domain and set up your own mail system
 > (sending outgoing email via your ISP's relay or use a relay service 
such as
 > Socketlabs is a lot easier than becoming a trusted source of email).
 >
 >> I'll also add that every time I start out to de-google, somehow I end up
 >> more entwined.
 >
 > 	It is almost impossible to completely escape, but it doesn't have
 > to be allowed to permeate everything.
 >

Firstly, I guess I was responding to the bit about setting up my own 
mail server. I have looked a couple of times and the guides are 
eye-wateringly long. Today, the most interesting link turned out to be a 
search engine flop.

I have found osmand good for locating me and helping me get to another 
selected spot on the map. I live in a regional city of about 300,000 and 
20 suburbs. Lots of street names are repeated across the suburbs. If I 
search for one of those names, I used to get a list of options and no 
guidance. I just checked and now get a list of suburbs. And very 
quickly.   I was going to add that I always keep osmand on my phone & 
tablet for when we are travelling in remote parts where there is no 
phone reception. Looks like I will be using it more often now.  Thanks 
for reminding me to check.    Or does address-to-GPS mean something else?

I use the Duck as my prime search engine. I did try ixquick, or 
startpage as it became known, for a while but speed was spasmodic. I 
just set it as my default search again.


I have started using zoho for some mail. And GMX looks interesting. 
Especially they are promising to make pop friendly to use.


I see what you mean about email providers. Some reading for later tonight.

Socketlabs may just be a tool I have been looking for, for a while now. 
Another layer between me and the industrial lobby organisations whose 
influence I am starting to try to reduce.


And I think my ISP's smtp is not trusted by google. Or is it every smtp 
server other than them? I had to stop using my ISP because too many of 
my friends were being warned I might be a scam.


Changing my phone OS is a little down the track yet. I listen to 
warnings about bricking things carefully.    Besides, I think if I 
change OS, why not to proper linux rather than a cleaned up fork of a 
commercialised fork of a fork (BSD chosen by both google and apple due 
to much easier copy right requirtements)?


That's enough for now. On with the project.



Thank you Steve and Celejar for encouraging me.  And anyone else who has 
joined in since I started writing. I know it's been a while. I needed a 
walk before dusk set in.


-- 

Keith Bainbridge

[email protected]

or [email protected]

0447 667468