Public free (libre) mailbox hosting service for everybody!

[אנטולי קרסנר]

On ה', 2013-02-28 at 10:15 +0100, Georg C. F. Greve wrote:
> On 2013-02-27 22:11, אנטולי קרסנר wrote:
> > If it's possible, we'll do it. Also, if users had to pay for such a
> > service, it would be okay. I don't mind paying for my free software
> > stack. I'd actually find it a way to contribute back to the people and
> > projects which deserve it. The point is not money; such a service can
> > get funds. The point if FREEDOM.
> 
> Did you see
> 
>     
> http://kolabsys.com/news/make-it-your-kolab-kolab-systems-launching-mykolabcom-public-beta
> 
> You can sign up at
> 
>     https://kolabsys.com/mykolab
> 
> for your own personal Kolab 3 based groupware account.
> 
> We're currently still in public beta, but are working to turn this into 
> a full public service.
> 
> It will be paid for (pricing to be announced) but 100% Free Software & 
> Open Standards and we'll gladly guarantee that we (a) give no-one access 
> to your data outside of what we're required to comply with by law and 
> (b) you can get all your data from us whenever you feel like it. Details 
> left to be defined, we're working on that.
> 
> But the basic idea seems very close to what you describe in your email.
> 
> Best regards,
> Georg
> 
> 

Hello Georg / Kolab Systems,

If I can connect to the Kolab mailbox from any desktop client, including
KMail, Evolution, Thunderbird, and also smaller ones such as Balsa or
even Mutt, then the solution your company offers is great.

But I have some questions:

1. Will the pricing be for the whole service, i.e. you get a mailbox,
spam filter, calendar, etc. paying the same amount every month?

2. I'd like to make the Free mail service as popular as I can, and
encourage people to join. I'd also like it to be a community project
which can receive funding and possibly even run for free (price=0). This
way I can still send a donation, while people who aren't familiar with
free software get a chance to migrate from GMail without paying.

If I told you I have funding for the project, let's say from the FSF, so
your company can get monthly payment, and in return it will run the
service at no cost for individual users, will you agree?

3. If you can't accept the offer to get funding for any reason, I have
another option on my mind. Since you use free software, someone should
be able to setup a private server just like yours. So, that someone can
get funding and thus offer the same service you offer, without charging
for it.

I don't want anyone to lose income as a result of a "copy" server
running the same service for free. I want us all to work together. On
the other hand, I'm not sure I can get funding for a commercial company,
that's why I offer a monthly constant amount of funding money. Maybe it
can work.

What do you think?

- Anatoly Krasner