[HacktionLab] Alternatives to big tech for personal use?

[U]

I self-host nextcloud AIO it does everything you described (apart from
mail) on a EU-based VPS.

I also use mailbox.org but just for email (PGP encrypted).


On Sat, Dec 27, 2025 at 2:48 PM brentc <brentc at riseup.net> wrote:

> Thanks all!
>
> Yes, riseup is good and generally well regarded. It doesn't do full
> cloud drive and online office suite though afaik.
>
> I also want non-US for efficiency/sustainability (as well as more
> political reasons)- makes technical sense to use a UK/EU location if I'm
> based in that area.
>
> Proton mail does seem ok, but I get the impression their politics are
> more libertarian than liberal? E.g. CEO making statements apparently a
> bit republican supporting. I'd be curious as to others' thoughts here?
> Tricky area. I would also need to figure out how to calm down their
> adverts for themselves on their UI.
>
> Mailbox.org might be worth a spin.
>
> Cheers
>
> On 26/12/2025 17:58, Patrice Riemens wrote:
> > Hi All,
> >
> > Being on puscii, which is a very small, hackers run ISP, I do not use
> riseup, but many friends are - to their full satisfaction. It's a bit the
> 'Isp of records' ;-) in some demographies. That is is US- based with all
> the consequences does not seem to be a drawback. But if you are paranoid
> about anything US related (aren't we all? ;-) I always advise
> Sswitzerland-based protonmail - in conjunction with an own mailer, type
> Thunderbird (here's a piece of 'do as I say, not as I do advice  ;-)
> Protonmail free has a rather limited storage.
> >
> > Cheers to all & best wishes for a rather anxiogenous 2026!
> > p+2D!
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Chris Clemson" <Chris.Clemson at GoGreenIT.net>
> > To: hacktionlab at lists.aktivix.org
> > Sent: Friday, 26 December, 2025 15:23:55
> > Subject: Re: [HacktionLab] Alternatives to big tech for personal use?
> >
> > Hi!
> >
> > Have you tried https://riseup.net/?
> >
> > I've not used it, but it has been around for a while.
> >
> > There's a list of disroot-like services here, which might help:
> > https://alternativeto.net/software/disroot/
> >
> > Let us know if you try any of them.
> >
> > On 24/12/2025 11:03, brentc wrote:
> >> Hello
> >>
> >> I'd love to find something like Google suite that isn't Google. I use
> >> alternatives for more activist stuff but keep coming back to Google
> >> for general use. Any (constructive) thoughts or pointers?
> >>
> >> I guess looking for something in between weak activist offerings and
> >> big tech. If something like a non-profit non-US Mozilla offered an
> >> awesome product, that would be lovely, but I don't see it.
> >>
> >> Specifically, for me, I need the typical 'personal productivity'
> >> services- email, todo lists, calendars, drive/docs/sheets with decent
> >> editing and features, and sharing (with people who don't have an
> >> account). I'd rather not use multiple services, want uptime and
> >> backups handled, and if it's green hosted and a non-profit oriented,
> >> bonus. It should probably be UK/EU region. I don't want to host my own
> >> stuff. I'll pay for the right thing. Honestly, for personal use, I
> >> probably want some balance of encryption/security with features,
> >> noting I'll have to trust the provider anyway.
> >>
> >> I've tried disroot. It's quite good to be fair, but still limited
> >> feature-wise, and more worryingly, couldn't get issues sorted with
> >> support (which is a common thing with smaller outfits in my
> >> experience, that I don't want to deal with). I don't like protonmail.
> >> There's mailbox.org but tradeoffs are they're a company albeit seem
> >> alright, and their website gives me the creeps.
> >>
> >> Maybe I ask for the currently impossible.
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Brent
> >>
> >>
> >>
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