[HacktionLab] Alternatives to big tech for personal use?

Thu Jan 1 11:57:25 UTC 2026

oh and on the email note, it is possible for us to have @hacktionlab.org 
email addresses as either mailboxen or forwarding addresses (aliases).  
  That no doubt warrants some discussion....

M

On 01/01/2026 10:09, Mike Harris wrote:
> Hey all,
>
> I'm very interested in this, not least because I've got a chunk of 
> server upgrade work for XtreamLab to do this first quarter of 2026, 
> and part of my desires is to get some office document editing 
> replacement as something we can provide to our users as a service.  
> I've tried to get OnlyOffice integrated with OwnCloud a couple of 
> times and gave up, but I'm feeling pretty confident that this time I 
> could do something.  Perhaps NextCloud?
>
> So, what could I use folks?
>
> Also, if anyone on the list wants email or hosting stuff, then do let 
> me know - https://xtreamlab.net - we're running the venerable 
> RoundCube for webmail as well as the newer SnappyMail (previously 
> RainLoop).
>
> And also, I guess, if anyone's potentially up for working to build 
> these services, then let's collaborate!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Mike.
>
> On 31/12/2025 12:30, Garcon du Monde wrote:
>> i already sent this recently so not sure if it was missed:
>>
>>   * https://degooglisons-internet.org/en/
>>
>> i think there is everything you might want here, but there's also a
>> listing of alternatives for some additional services:
>>
>>   * https://alt.framasoft.org/en/
>>
>> solidarity,
>>
>>     --gdm
>>
>> On Sat, Dec 27, 2025 at 02:47:57PM +0000, brentc 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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-- 
Mike Harris
+44 07811 781 893
https://mbharris.co.uk - https://hacktionlab.org - https://xtreamlab.net