@gemlog
Yep, sure, I'm keeping my addresses on Proton domains — protonmail.ch and others, but I'm thinking of switching to self-hosting for my own ones: m0xEE.Net .Org and .Com
I'll look into Contabo, thank you!

@m0xee For the past couple of years (2 I think?), I haven't even been configuring my own postfix, for which I have *extensive* notes for each time. Instead, I've been using yunohost to do it for me and it's very painless.

@gemlog
Did you ever try DeltaChat — the thing that adds an IM-like interface to e-mail?
They have developed a set of scripts to help people self-host e-mail serviced compatible with it: https://github.com/deltachat/chatmail
They expect the distro of your VPS to be systemd-based so I probably won't be able to use it as is, but essentially, they are just deploying dovecot and postfix and I intend to do something similar.

@gemlog
It's one of the motivations behind switching to self-hosting for me — to be able to use it with DeltaChat, as with Proton I'm unable to — they aren't providing direct SMTP access, only via their own proton-bridge, which is intended to be run locally — and running it on a phone doesn't sound like a good idea 😅

@m0xee Yes, I installed the bridge thing on someone's laptop the other day. Kind of hokey.

@gemlog
I mean sure, it adds an extra layer of security — as they (supposedly) do not store your messages in the clear, this makes using SMTP and IMAP impossible, but if you do need them, it's an extra hassle.

@m0xee I haven't tried it - not sure who I'd have to play with frankly. The default install of debian with yunohost is dovecot/postfix/systemd. It's just a script you use on a new box. Then it whinges until you get all your dns/dkim ducks in a row, which is nice. Takes less than about 45 minutes to have a click and drool secured server.

@gemlog
Sounds nice! I'll check it out too — thanks again!

@m0xee You're welcome! Did you work today? We have snow now - just in time for harvest, which just makes the trees heavy to drag and difficult to bundle. I'll be starting in an hour or so. It's still morning my time.

@gemlog
Nah! I'm currently unemployed and living in the city I don't have to go out much — unless I do it on my own volition. It's only raining here — it did snow a couple of times, but it fails to stick yet. This type of weather: neither raining, nor snowing, nor clear — botches my sleep schedule and I'm in this permanent state of half-asleep half-awake — not great, but I'll be fine.
Good luck with your routine!

@m0xee Oh, I'm fine. My 'routine' is not to work in the winter! :-)
I get laid off from the Christmass tree farm every December 23 and don't go back until after break-up to plant new ones and prune old ones and then I'm laid off again for most of the summer. I've taken on another seasonal job too with a landscape company. More physical work - unless they have an IT problem and then they call me off the job into the office ;-)
Except for harvest time, both jobs are very flexible.
I am thinking of adding back in some kind of ... something with IT or devops or coding or... IDK, but I need some of that back in my life. Mind you, at my age, it's better for me to be mostly outdoors working than back being a 14hr/day keyboard jockey! :-)

@gemlog
Yeah, I totally like your approach — computers are fun, but once you start doing that all day everyday, eventually you start hating it — at least that's how I usually ended up with: having a good job and making good money, but burning out — and taking to take an extensive break, which I could afford. It's fun, but I don't think this can go on indefinitely.
Being able to work outdoors, doing physical work, is good — but it's hard to maintain proper balance once you get a desk job.

@m0xee I only ever had my own desk for a desk job. I had 30-odd websites. But also 30-something local IT clients. And hardware service calls installing and repairing all business machines, photocopiers etc., bank machines, cable modems, debit machines, alarms, phones, cameras... whatever. I'm a tech slut! :-)
I don't need more antennae masts or pulling wire really. I have enough exercise these days. I think I need to get back to devops. I don't know really... I'm old! I used to repair every kind of typewriter and did board repairs on dictaphones ffs :-)
I need to think, because I might need to work from Wales as well as canada.
It seems that we both face choices about which country we will work in.

@m0xee I meant to ask, if you do leave, which countries are you most interested in?

@gemlog
Depend on where I would be able to secure a job — beggars can't be choosers😅
For me getting a job I would be comfortable with is more important than… location.
Originally I was aiming for Poland — culturally not too different, but now I doubt it would be possible, or in the foreseeable future, I don't expect everyone to be hostile, but it's still hard to avoid being prejudiced, especially for Poles. Same goes for Baltic states I think…
So Western Europe most probably 🤷

@gemlog
I have a few friends who moved to Germany and they like it there. Again, I wouldn't mind if I get a good job — having friends to hang out with is also a plus, but somehow this still doesn't sit right with me — probably due to German political establishment and their role in failing to act decisively and stopping this disaster.
I have friends in Spain too and they like the warmer climate, but I'm not a fan — but again, I probably wouldn't mind, I'm not picky 😅

@gemlog
It would certainly take time to adapt, but I'm open to learning whatever language I have to and culturally I'm quite openminded.

@m0xee @gemlog does learning brainfuck prime you for german living?

@thatguyoverthere
I hope it does! At least that is what my plan was 😈

@gemlog

@m0xee
which languages do you have already?
@thatguyoverthere

@gemlog
I don't see the point in learning languages outside the environment where I would have to use it daily. I'm good at picking the vocabulary up, I remember working with Germans and I started understanding what they are talking about — not enough to speak it, but it seems to me that learning languages isn't that hard.
But for my job routine of course I would have to use English — at least originally, which I expect to not be a problem when it's tech related.
@thatguyoverthere

@gemlog
I remember using English when commenting on bugs/incidents even working for a Russian company — just so that the few foreign colleagues we've had could understand it too. Few had problems with it.
@thatguyoverthere

@m0xee
I was born in the UK and transported to the english part of canada, so I am a monoglot :-(
I am trying to learn to read in different languages using duolingo and bussu. It's working, but *very* slowly, because I'm so ancient :-)
I get through some fedi posts and news articles ok, but I have libretranslate installed and used it constantly too.
My interest is reading foreign news and posts by regular people on fedi, because our mainstream media sucks.
@thatguyoverthere

@m0xee That's a good point. My friend Marek had to escape soviet poland. He doesn't have a good opinion of russians, so I know what you mean. Western Europe it is then - but I wouldn't think iceland, finland or sweden just lately... It's a tough call alright.

@gemlog
It's kinda sad actually because I really like Poles — it was one of my early jobs and I had a colleague from Poland and once he came of Moscow on a business trip, we had really great time in the after hours, I'm not really got a keeping in touch so we've lost contact since.
Almost every Pole I meet online turns out a fun person too… But yeah, I have to accept the reality 😩

@m0xee Just takes time I guess. Even Marek is better these days. Years ago he refused to even help me (I've attempted your alphabet and sounding out words like a 3 year old), but these days he's better.