(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!
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Just in case you don’t know, you can use those Microsoft services no problem in Linux through a web browser. You can also “install” them since they’re PWAs and integrate them with your system notifications.
There’s also Thunderbird from Mozilla, and the open source fork Betterbird that has a far more modern appearance and options. That will work easily with your existing Microsoft email.
I’m by no means encouraging that you stay on Microsoft, but moving to Linux AND changing providers for important stuff like email and calendar might be a lot all at once.
Good advice - I should have clarified that I’m already doing this. I’ve been dual-booting PopOS for a while and using webmail Outlook. I hardly ever log in to Windows anymore. OneDrive is unusable in Linux so I’m going to use Nextcloud instead; after that I just need to replace the email system.
OneDrive is unusable in Linux
Look into rclone mounts, assuming your org allows you to use rclone with OneDrive and SharePoint Online.
There’s also this open source, and commercial client, but I haven’t used them myself.
I looked into these but the “on demand” functionality is missing; I don’t want to download the entire OneDrive contents to my laptop or have to manually sync and unsync folders. Nextcloud does have that feature.
Nextcloud is awesome. I work in cloud engineering and we’re implementing them for a client right now. So many cool extensions, and everything open source
Easy to self-host with a turnkeylinux appliance, too.
rclone mounts don’t download anything; they cache “hot” data, and you can tweak that behaviour.
That sounds like it’s beyond my current proficiency level – I’m willing to put in some work to de-Google/Microsoft myself, but still want something that “just works”.
OneDrive is unusable in Linux
OneDrive works better in Linux than in Windows with the open-source client. Takes up almost zero memory or resources, downloads files quicker than the Windows client. Only doesn’t have the “on demand” functionality but that often didn’t work properly in Windows either.
I’m by no means encouraging that you stay on Microsoft, but moving to Linux AND changing providers for important stuff like email and calendar might be a lot all at once.
i agree, i encourage you to try others systems, but it’s a different OS, it work differently, so take it slow, try in a VM, to try apps, them make a dual boot, so you still have windows there while you learn
If you’re (going to continue) using Office 365, you can use Evolution as an Outlook replacement. Evolution EWS rides OWA and ActiveSync protocols to give you email, calendars, contacts, notes, etc. I’ve used it for over a decade. It works very well once setup.
As for Android, there are several, including Outlook for Android (which is bloated and slow, being a Microsoft product), which I am forced to use because of our company SSO config.
If you’re looking for an Office 365 replacement, I use Nextcloud for my personal stuff. It has files, contacts, calendars, notes, etc. If you install the OnlyOffice plugin, you get multi-user online document and spreadsheet editing. I use the DAVx5 connector to get (shared and personal) contacts, calendars, and tasks in my Android phone. It integrates into the environment so all calendars and contacts apps work automatically. It also automatically backs up pics/vids I take with my phone automatically.
This is great, thank you. I don’t see a compelling reason to keep using MS email if I’m ditching the Office apps and OneDrive, so in my case it’ll be all or nothing. This is the second recommendation here for OnlyOffice; I’ve been using LibreOffice but might have to give that a shot.
If you’re replacing all of O365 (excellent choice, BTW), I do recommend Nextcloud with a few plugins. I use it specifically for sharing contacts and calendars among my family.
LibreOffice is my desktop word processor and spreadsheet, and I use it more than OnlyOffice, but if you need two people in the same file at the same time, OnlyOffice is a better option.
Evolution (with Gnome) is pretty great! Smooth integration with both Google and Microsoft accounts with a decent UI.
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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.
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.
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.
I know its not what you asked, however you can use Thunderbird with Office 365 in the mean time. Same with Evolution.
@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… ;-)
I think I use WebDAV?
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.
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?
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.
Thank you very much, it’s more clear to me now.
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?
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?
I haven’t had any issues yet with my @etik.com address. However, I only use it privately, not for business.
Check out onlyoffice. Open source MS 365 alternative and yet to find any issues with it.
For comparison purposes nextcloud.com offers a solution as well.
I use OnlyOffice, but certainly would not suggest it as an Outlook replacement.
Yea but obviously he has a office 365 plan, so a alternative to the office suite for word processing etc is relevant.
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.
Zoho? Cheap and reliable.
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.
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).
You could try Google. Most big email and calendar apps will support their nonstandard login flow.
Why not try 365 with thunderbird?
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
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.
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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.
Use your SSON credentials on https://office.microsoft.com to have all the office products in a web variant. Those are pretty good actually.
If you don’t mind self-hosting stuff, nextcloud with davx5 could be a great choice.
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.
Fastmail is well-regarded, although they are hosted in Australia (which has some really dumb privacy laws). I use them. There’s an import tool.
If you are privacy paranoid, mailfence is hosted in Belgium, which is a brick wall when it comes to privacy and warrants - likely the best jurisdiction in the world in this regard. The interface is dated.
