Saturday, July 08, 2023

Sometimes I Love Google, Sometimes I Hate It

Right now, I'm hating it.

My "$100 Chromebox" -- an ATOPNUC mini PC running Google's ChromeOS Flex -- seems to have slowed down with a recent ChromeOS update. And I think, although I'm not entirely sure, that Google's Gmail is the culprit.

So, once again, I'm considering a move away from Google.

In addition to being the likely chief culprit, Gmail is the thing I find hardest to give up. I've had my address there since circa 2006 or early 2007. I grabbed it to run Steve Kubby's 2008 presidential campaign from, and just never went back to Yahoo! Mail, or ISP mail via SMTP.

I really, really like ProtonMail (which comes with a not-entirely-unlike Google suit of tools including a calendar and storage facility, as well as VPN and password manager offerings).  But its free version is too anemic for my needs.

They're running a sale on their "Mail Plus," which looks like it could accommodate at least most of my needs. $78.96 for the first two years.

And they sell gift cards in $20, $50, and $100 denominations.

If anyone wants to help out with that, gift cards can be sent to thomaslknapp@protonmail.com.

If I can get started on ProtonMail, my follow-up plan is to abandon ChromeOS Flex, re-install Lubuntu, and at least strongly consider switching from Chrome proper to Chromium or some other variant as my browser.

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