[Discuss] Running a mail server, or not

[David Kramer]

On 06/25/2018 03:40 PM, Richard Pieri wrote:
> On 6/25/2018 12:07 PM, Rich Braun wrote:
>> Not mine, at least not in clear-text. Backbone providers only see
>> encrypted streams between my email server and my service providers'
>> systems located in France and Canada. I'm not aware of any government
> What kind of encryption is used on the backbone connections between your
> providers in France, Canada and mine in the US?
>
> Answer: none. There's clear text SMTP in there somewhere and that
> somewhere can be used to eavesdrop.

I believe very strongly in "Perfection is the enemy of progress". Just 
because I can't completely protect my mail from others doesn't prevent 
me from doing what I can.  However, other parties having access to my 
mail at rest for long periods of time is a very different problem than 
other parties having access to my mail for milliseconds (assuming they 
are not caching mail going through their system out of band).  The 
former could be done with a Raspberry Pi over time.  This belief is one 
of the founding principles of Agile and Lean.  Minimum viable product, 
incremental improvements, inspect and adapt.

I also want to run my own mail server for other reasons than privacy 
though. For instance, not being a SysAdmin, I don't have daily 
opportunities to work on those skills. I also like to have a platform to 
test software out on that's connected to the internet.