"Independency" requires own email-server (tips on how to run)

Valued team of Delta-Chat, developers, user,

thought of the circumstance that more effective advances of use of the generous shared tool of Delta-Chat start by having more control over ones email-server, it’s maybe good to have a topic on hints and shares in regard of how to gain such, set up and maintain, as it isn’t really easy as far as having been informed.

Maybe also inspiration to give even more into “small” community email servers, family, clubs, interest-groups, villages…schools, what ever, which is handle-able as long it stays privat and does not become an issue of telecommunication laws and dangers to host things one wouldn’t like.

It’s maybe unusuall to consider in a world where things are “free” suggested everywhere, but to give others a “home”, a place to store and find their belongings, is a very meritful deed. And if knowing your supporter it’s easier in regard of clear gratitude.

3 Likes

Mailcow recently announced improved support for Delta Chat:
https://mailcow.email/2021/01/14/back-to-the-future-with-delta-chat/

Mudita that good interests from mail-provider arises for DC, good master link2xt.

How ever, it’s thought of getting known ways of how to setup own email-server, which is of course not straight within the apps stuff currently but maybe a good aditional way to ‘escape’ Tech-giants in regard of dependency with server.

Mailcow is not an email provider, but a server suite consisting of Postfix SMTP server, Dovecot IMAP server and various additions. The goal of Mailcow project is exactly to make it easier to setup your own email server.

See…
Good master link2tx, an innovativ hoster general, but thought was more on how to setup when having host possibility.

Tips on “postfix” setup, if such is enough, for example.

(and appreciation for steady explaining)

A Raspberry Pi would probably work if you can put it on an internet connection with a static IP: Set up your own Raspberry Pi mail server - IONOS
or any Linux machine: How to Setup a Complete Mail Server (Postfix) using ‘Roundcube’ (Webmail) on Ubuntu/Debian (tecmint.com)

The Helm would probably work too. That’s more expensive, but includes offsite encrypted backups and DNS hosting. Helm

Could also install all of the mail server stuff on any cloud hosted virtual machine service like Azure, AWS, Linode, etc.

This script sounds like it makes things easier: LukeSmithxyz/emailwiz: Script that installs/configures a Dovecot, Postfix, Spam Assassin, OpenDKIM Debian web server (github.com)

Sadhu for giving into, good adamzea.
Having been given such like postfx recently, my person could observe and heard that’s all but not so easy to setup that it works well, especially because larger provider would try to hsrden ways. What’s importand for the setup, settings?

I have been searching for a solution to use email accounts that you really own.

I found a project called https://freedombox.org/ and I am waiting for a feature which is planned “Email Server”: FreedomBox/Features - Debian Wiki

The box with all that is on it will solve a lot of issues that you will run into having an email server on your own, e.g. getting a “Let’s encrypt” certificate, setting up a domain to only name a few.
It can really run in your home on any computer that can run a “Debian” Linux or you set it up on a Rasperry Pi as shown here: How To Set Up A FreedomBox At Home - Invidious

Just, the feature is not yet there. :wink:

Thomsel

2 Likes

That feature in https://freedombox.org seems to be on the way!
https://wiki.debian.org/FreedomBox/TODO/GSoC2021

1 Like

I wonder if it’s possible or if anyone has tried making a script to automate installing a Delta Chat specific server. You know, something like Pi-hole or PIVPN? I’ve seen others that include things that aren’t necessary to Delta Chat use such as webmail and web server additions. I feel like a script with IMAP/SMTP/TLS/DANE/SPF/DKIM/DMARC installers and instructions for DNS records to copy/paste and instructions for ports to open on a router could make DC specific servers really easy to set up. Maybe it could include a Jitsi Meet server for the video calls too, and a QR code generator to auto-setup Delta-Chat clients when a new user mailbox is created. (That’s something PiVPN.io does when creating Wireguard accounts if I remember correctly.)

There is a https://selfprivacy.org/ project which automates Nix setup with an email server and other services. SelfPrivacy developers specifically test it against Delta Chat.

3 Likes

there was an option to set the video chat instance in the email server configuration file???
if yes, do selfprivacy configures it???

I use hmail Server on Windows for both standard e-mail and Delta Chat.

Works great “out-of-the-box”! Only needed to activate the “IMAP Idle” Option for IMAP Push Notifications.

2 Likes

I think I made a pretty good collection of tips and instructions for making your own email server to use with Delta Chat: How to make your own WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal competitor (pocketnow.com)

3 Likes

Indeed much detail. Mudita
Just hard to bear by browser and processor, coming along with a punch of binding site functions.

This guide is great Adam, thanks for taking the time to write it up.

1 Like

This guide is great Adam, thanks for taking the time to write it up.

Thanks! I have a more updated version of that here: How to make your own Delta Chat Email Server and compete with WhatsApp/Signal/Telegram - Book of Adam Z
…which adds tips about how to get it to send to Hotmail/Outlook.com servers (Microsoft blocks basically everything not on the allow list, so you have to ask them nicely), and there are more resource links.
I’m also working on some scripts for supporting multiple domains on the same server: GitHub - adamzea/emailwiz: Script that installs/configures a Dovecot, Postfix, Spam Assassin, OpenDKIM Debian web server, but that’s not fully tested yet. I have one running 3 domains and maybe a dozen users using like 220Mb RAM on a single core VPS. So that’s pretty great.

3 Likes

Thought to merge interest and paths might be good:

Chatmail services optimized for Delta Chat apps

(The more such will be used, the more awareness toward use of resources, optimize traffic and memoryspace… (debt toward else or required own budget) might enter not only user of the many generosities or deals, but also promoter and those giving tools, access)

Maybe someone likes to give overviews of traffic, memory, cost, energy, administration … as well there.

2 Likes

The topic missed maybe that the root cause of independence and freedom is alway based not only on rightly obtained, and by own effort but also effort that does not harm or leads to such. Tips and encouragement are all given just within this basic fence. What ever leaves the fence of basic virtue (eg. taking life, taken whats not given, wrong conduct in sensal pleasure (sexual), speech of what’s not true, and taking intoxication which cause shamelessness/drunkenness) will not lead to independence but the opposite, leads to lose of freedom.

Please try to always stay on the right side and never on that of “having a right”, eg. ingratitude, wrong view, and train your mind periodically:

“And how is one made pure in three ways by mental action? There is the case where a certain person is not covetous. He does not covet the belongings of others, thinking, ‘O, that what belongs to others would be mine!’ He bears no ill will and is not corrupt in the resolves of his heart. [He thinks,] ‘May these beings be free from animosity, free from oppression, free from trouble, and may they look after themselves with ease!’ He has right view and is not warped in the way he sees things: ‘There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are brahmans & contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.’ This is how one is made pure in three ways by mental action.” AN 10.176

Only own (skilful, liberal undertaken) labor makes free!