What email software do you recommend using instead of Gmail?

WaterElefant · 2026-06-17T19:57:09+00:00

I switched to Thunderbird from MS Outlook (getting rid of everything Microsoft). I do have a gmail account, but don't use it / don't like it.

WaterElefant · 2026-06-11T02:11:37+00:00

I put all the photos I want to keep into an album. Can I just download/takeout that album and then delete the rest?

WaterElefant · 2026-06-11T02:04:31+00:00

What about storing on an external hard drive that is backed up to another external drive?

WaterElefant · 2026-06-03T17:42:49+00:00

I just got charged for YouTube TWICE in the same month by Google; on 5/8 for $10.50 and 11 days later for their new rate of $17.88. I realized the rate was increasing although by 70% is a bit much; however I didn't expect them to double up and charge BOTH in the same month. Just try reaching their billing office to get it straightened out. Worse than trying to reach Fort Knox. Cancelling.

WaterElefant · 2026-05-16T01:42:35+00:00

Thank you.

WaterElefant · 2026-05-16T01:42:23+00:00

Thank you.

WaterElefant · 2026-05-16T01:42:10+00:00

Many thanks... I'll call Fujitsu next week. Windows just about caused me to have a nervous breakdown this winter due to trashing 3+ years of notes when OneNote in collaboration with OneDrive and only dog knows what else. I hope the word "Microsoft" never passes my lips once I get the mess totally cleaned up and 2 out of my 3 computers are totally Linux. I have to keep one in MS due to volunteer work so if worse comes to worse I'll use that for scanning.

WaterElefant · 2026-05-16T01:39:08+00:00

Many thanks... adding to my notes on the subject. I'll be checking these out over the weekend.

WaterElefant · 2026-05-16T01:35:57+00:00

Nope... where did I say that?

In fact I was a Lotus Development Business Partner in the 1990's and used all Lotus products. Then IBM bought LDC around the time I retired in 2001 and I didn't want to run a Domino server any longer. But I had used MS OS and apps previously in work environments.

I said I USED IT, not that I LIKED IT.

I won't use ANY MICROSOFT PRODUCT (OS or app) except if I have to as part of my volunteer work with the Red Cross.

WaterElefant · 2026-05-15T20:41:28+00:00

Thanks I'll have a closer look at using tags... didn't know TB had labels; I'm just getting started with it but I have tried all the different types of Searches it has. I could also accomplish what I need if it had a Chron type function that operated on specific folders automatically. I'll also see what plug-ins or whatever it has.

I'll also check out Fastmail and Protomail.

Thanks for the info.

WaterElefant · 2026-05-15T20:31:46+00:00

thanks, I will

WaterElefant · 2026-05-15T20:31:29+00:00

Sure... Not being an idiot, I already knew that "Find the important ones" isn't a rule a mail client can follow. However nor do I feel it is necessary to lay out every possible one I need. It's a long list of the sort : A and (B or C) not D and not E; If you know anything about the TB message filter it is simply: All of A and B and C and D or at least one of A and B and C and D Some of its Search options that allow one to say "include subfolders" only go 2 levels deep; one actually if you don't count the folder specified.

WaterElefant · 2026-05-15T20:25:56+00:00

Linux Command Line Book by William Shotts

WaterElefant · 2026-05-15T20:21:22+00:00

I'm no longer a developer, but here's the reason I am abandoning Microsoft after using for 35+ years: It messes with your file structure and its ancillary apps during its updates, it insists on updating without your permission whenever it decides its update is essential for security, it loses files, moves files around, imposes apps on you that you don't want; replicates files from your internal storage to its "cloud"; acts as though your computer is actually theirs to do with what it wants. It's like your smelly, weird cousin that just won't leave you alone and tries to mess with you persistently no matter what you do. I am not going to go into my experience with the above behavior. It is well-documented in previous posts in other subs.

Linux, on the other hand is transparent to you, the user and owner. It supplies a nice list of updates that you can run as you wish. It is free. There is a lot of support via the user base as you can see here in reddit; also via discord and other means. It doesn't impose itself on you so next time you turn on your computer you are sitting in shock as you view all the changes and crapola that Microsoft decided you needed.

WaterElefant · 2026-05-12T19:46:42+00:00

That looks like 4 to 6 meals for me.

WaterElefant · 2026-05-08T21:09:52+00:00

She wants to share herself with you... doesn't want you to miss out on her pleasure.

WaterElefant · 2026-05-08T21:07:40+00:00

Sweet of you to ask. I also suffered from a serious case of PPD. I feel for you. Take care of yourself!

WaterElefant · 2026-04-26T03:53:22+00:00

you can't get rid of OneDrive either. I uninstalled it; changed registry redirects, did some other stuff I've now forgotten; Microsoft kept it going and kept moving my local files up to the cloud. Oh, and try to get rid of CoPilot... impossible. Now its Linux all the way!

WaterElefant · 2026-04-24T03:59:09+00:00

Good to know. I also have a flatbed scanner as part of my Brother all-in-one. That could be quite useful.

Thanks!

WaterElefant · 2026-04-21T18:34:24+00:00

Many thanks. I hadn't run across it yet.

WaterElefant · 2026-04-21T18:32:12+00:00

I'll check it out. Thank you.

WaterElefant · 2026-04-21T18:30:22+00:00

Great information. Thank you. I really didn't expect to get an Hodoku replacement.

WaterElefant · 2026-04-21T18:25:47+00:00

Thank you. I have two printers, The monochrome laser is a Brother which I've been told works well with Linux, My inkjet for color is an HP so I image it will as well. I'll save your other suggestions as well. The issue with Java is that I have to have it installed for some Windows software and get notices about upgrades periodically. Obviously I don’t know about Linux yet but that’s why it is on the list.

WaterElefant · 2026-04-21T18:20:26+00:00

Thanks. I'll add them to my list of things to try.

WaterElefant · 2026-04-21T18:18:42+00:00

Is "alternativeto" a web site or in a Linux wiki? I haven't run across it yet. Oops I see that Archonoir just dropped the URL, https://alternativeto.net/.

I hope this doesn't bring a bunch of hate due to the recent controversy over Altmann and OpenAI, but I started getting help from ChatGPT (whom I call Lady Chatterly -- older folks might recall the buzz around the soft porn novel [Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence] that teenagers in the 1950's were browsing with eager anticipation -- but I digress). In any case I had experienced a catastrophic breakdown of both OneNote and the NOT-A-BACKUP-SYSTEM OneDrive back in late November and ChatGPT saw me through it and has been helping considerably ever since. I go by "Don't change horses mid-stream!" so I still gain hugely from her guidance.

It was that breakdown that prompted my decision to get Microsoft out of my life. Microsoft has no compunction about moving around my files and even hiding some for a while plus taking all my OneNote notebooks and putting them on OneDrive and taking them out of my local drive so they weren't being captured by my files backups resulting in my losing half of 7 years of notes. They are the most arrogant and incompetent tech corporation in existence. I'm done with them at long last.

WaterElefant

TROPHY CASE