(apologies in advance if this isn’t the right community for this question)
I’ve been flirting with Linux on and off for about 15 years and I think I’m ready to make the switch mostly full-time. I use a laptop for work and have a Microsoft 365 plan with email and such. I need to replace that with something Linux-friendly and would much prefer something that works with a desktop email client. Easy syncing of email, contacts and calendar to Android is a must.
Proton seems like it might be a good option but the privacy features aren’t a huge selling point for me so I’m open to other options!
- sat012e ( @sat012e@lemmy.ml ) English16•1 year ago
I’ve been on Linux desktop (Mint) for over a decade now. My company uses O365 for email, as did the organization before them.
I use Thunderbird with several add-ons: Mailbox Alert, Owl for Exchange (paid), Provider for Exchange ActiveSync, and TbSync. I honestly couldn’t tell you which one or ones I find most useful - it’s been so long since I’ve installed them, I don’t remember which addon provides which functionality. My most recent install was Owl, for calendaring and because things got a wee bit fucky with O365 servers for a week or two last year. I have Thunderbird set to collect addresses when I reply to users. You can have it query AD for contacts, I think, but it tends to be a wee bit slow.
On my Android phone, I use the default Google Calendar app, and the Gmail app to query O365.
- PenguinCoder ( @Penguincoder@beehaw.org ) English8•1 year ago
The problem here is the way in which Exchange, and Microsoft, do things with what should be Interopobile. Instead there’s additions and extension only available if you’re using exchange or Microsoft products. It’s absolutely intentional to make you frustrated at what the alternatives are and how they don’t work,. Buy exchange and it’ll be fixed.
- itchy_lizard ( @itchy_lizard@feddit.it ) English12•1 year ago
Lol wut. Use Thunderbird. We rolled that out to everyone at work.
I think you may have misunderstood my question. I’m not asking which desktop client I should use.
- KᑌᔕᕼIᗩ ( @Kushia@lemmy.ml ) English2•1 year ago
I know its not what you asked, however you can use Thunderbird with Office 365 in the mean time. Same with Evolution.
- Ascend ( @Ascend@social.vivaldi.net ) 1•1 year ago
- Ezahn ( @ezahn@mastodon.uno ) 0•1 year ago
@itchy_lizard @cygnus TB is great. Except that I cannot have Thunderbird 115 sync with my CardDAV (Infomaniak) address book. Officually CardDAV is supported now, but all I get for the effort is a blank address book. If someone knows the trick… ;-)
- itchy_lizard ( @itchy_lizard@feddit.it ) 1•1 year ago
I think I use WebDAV?
- bbbhltz ( @bbbhltz@beehaw.org ) English11•1 year ago
So, you need a groupware/email provider and app recommendations?
Thunderbird will likely be the most recommended client as it does all 3 of the things you need. So, it gets points for being easy. And you can try it out on Windows before to see if you like it.
There are other OK clients. Overall I am not a big fan of Thunderbird or most of the other options. I settled for Claws, but it is not for everyone.
Proton is highly recommended, along with Disroot and Tutanota and Mailbox and many others.
As for Android syncing, it is all pretty easy. I use Mailbox and on my Android FairEmail, Davx5, Icsx5, and Etar to keep everything synced.
- Kory ( @Kory@lemmy.ml ) 3•1 year ago
Could you elaborate a little on the syncing please, it doesn’t sound “all pretty easy” to me :). You are mentioning 3 apps, why do you need all of them?
- bbbhltz ( @bbbhltz@beehaw.org ) 4•1 year ago
Depends on the protocols used.
Mailbox uses CalDAV and CardDAV. If I want the Android calendar to sync my contacts, I need Davx5 to speak to the server. Same goes for Calendars. The stock calendar app works, but I just prefer Etar. Anyway…
FairEmail gets the email. Easy to setup.
Davx5 gets the rest. Just put in the username and password. Done.
Icsx5 is the same as Davx5, but for iCal things. So, I subscribe to my partner’s public calendar, my work calendars, etc.
I wouldn’t classify it as “not easy” but rather jumping a few extra hurdles. I think Proton has an app that takes care of this… Not sure.
Switching email providers is not a frictionless process. It caused a lot of stress for me. And my laptop, well, I use Claws for email and 3 other command line applications to get my calendars and contacts synced. Bit of a pain, but it works.
- Kory ( @Kory@lemmy.ml ) 1•1 year ago
Thank you very much, it’s more clear to me now.
- harl3k1n ( @harl3k1n@feddit.de ) 7•1 year ago
Maybe check out Infomaniak, there’s also a cloud drive option and integration of onlyoffice desktop editors.
Wow this seems like a far better deal than Proton, Tutanota etc. Do you use their service?
- harl3k1n ( @harl3k1n@feddit.de ) 2•1 year ago
I do. Only on Android though. I’m not sure how well the cloud drive integrates with Linux DEs.
How is the deliverability? Do you have any issues with it going to people’s spam folder?
- harl3k1n ( @harl3k1n@feddit.de ) 1•1 year ago
I haven’t had any issues yet with my @etik.com address. However, I only use it privately, not for business.
- theshatterstone54 ( @theshatterstone54@feddit.uk ) English5•1 year ago
Have you tried Thunderbird? It comes with a calendar and has recently had a visual overhaul
I have, and I’ll probably use it - I just need a replacement for the email provider.
- Engywuck ( @Engywuck@lemm.ee ) 2•1 year ago
Zoho? Cheap and reliable.
- KotoWhiskas ( @KotoWhiskas@kbin.social ) 2•1 year ago
LTT voice and out today’s sponsor is Zoho One
I’ve read mixed feedback on deliverability with Zoho. As this is for work, I don’t want my emails going into clients’ spam folder.
- Engywuck ( @Engywuck@lemm.ee ) 2•1 year ago
I didn’t personally experience any kind of problem during all the time I have used them on a free tier (more than 6-7 years, for sure).
- dino ( @dino@discuss.tchncs.de ) English5•1 year ago
Because you are just looking for an email provider: https://disroot.org/en (donation financed) Otherwise there are paid providers which are based in germany: mailbox.org or posteo.de
- sounddrill ( @sounddrill@lemmy.antemeridiem.xyz ) English5•1 year ago
Why not try 365 with thunderbird?
- WardPearce ( @Ward@lemmy.nz ) English5•1 year ago
Check out onlyoffice. Open source MS 365 alternative and yet to find any issues with it.
- Notamoosen ( @Notamoosen@kbin.social ) 1•1 year ago
For comparison purposes nextcloud.com offers a solution as well.
- RoboRay ( @RoboRay@kbin.social ) 1•1 year ago
I use OnlyOffice, but certainly would not suggest it as an Outlook replacement.
- WardPearce ( @Ward@lemmy.nz ) English1•1 year ago
Yea but obviously he has a office 365 plan, so a alternative to the office suite for word processing etc is relevant.
- Asiaticus ( @i18nde@lemmy.ml ) 4•1 year ago
In my opinion, Tutanota https://tutanota.com/ is a better choice than Proton, there are apps for Linux, Windows, macOS, Android iPhone, working nicely together.
- Kleysley ( @Kleysley@discuss.tchncs.de ) 4•1 year ago
If you dont care about privacy, what advantages are therw with proton over tutanota? Proton also has apps for all these platforms…
They would be on my list if they offered an import service, without which their offering is useless to me… I’d lose years of work emails.
- 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘬 ( @Dirk@lemmy.ml ) 3•1 year ago
Use your SSON credentials on https://office.microsoft.com to have all the office products in a web variant. Those are pretty good actually.
- _edge ( @_edge@discuss.tchncs.de ) 3•1 year ago
Google Mail/Calender/Workspace or what it’s called. Works perfectly in a web browser and you can connect Thunderbird or Evolution. Most people who use Linux professionally are on Google. And most other people, too. Microsoft is a niche player unless you are locked in.
You can add self-hosted and open-source stuff anytime, but you’ll need good email and calender that plays nice with the outside world, so Google. Maybe something like mailbox.org. Maybe you ISP’s email + Thunderbird + nextcloud + K9 on Android will do, but you do not want to self-host or experiment with email if your business relies on it.
Nextcloud works fine for internal file exchange (but so does google drive), internal calendar, many apps on top of it. It even has a web-based mail client, but personally I would not use this is as my primary business email unless you are a hosting pro.
- SomeBoyo ( @SomeBoyo@feddit.de ) 2•1 year ago
Try thunderbird
- Ádám ( @adam@discuss.tchncs.de ) English1•1 year ago
If you don’t mind self-hosting stuff, nextcloud with davx5 could be a great choice.