Ive had a gmail account since before they were publicly available. Working on excising that from my life; it's amazing how many links to it I've accumulated. Anyone else completed the process? What were your greatest challenges? Any tips for myself and other pedes that are refusing goog?
Lotsa work but I think it'll be satisfying.
Going Google-less: How to install a custom Android ROM with no Google apps or services
https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle
ProtonMail or Tutanota are wise choices. We are entering a new internet based of distributed sites/traffic and encryption. You should ditch Windows too, go Linux.
I'm running Ubuntu on an old laptop, my issue is most ham radio and software defined radio interfaces are much better on windows. Maybe that's improved, I'll have to check it out. Haven't powered on my mac gear in a couple years.
I run Ubuntu Server and FreeBSD (UNIX). I'm not a HAM geek just yet but soon. The next version Win10 (20H2) tracks and logs everything you, including keystrokes, and sends it back to Microsoft. Don't go there.
I've been on pm.me with a paid account for a couple years. I like it but it's feature set is pretty crude, especially the android app. My old asus 5z is running Lineage OS but isn't the goog stripped version. This will definitely be a process.
If you're really ambitious, you can buy a domain and hosting and set up your own mail server. All the software is open source.
I switched over to protonmail.
There's a way to download all your gmail emails. I forget how. I'll try to find it and post it later.
Also, there's a guy on Odysee named Rob Braxman Tech. He explains to you how to DeGoogle your phone. It's a degoogled android operating system. He has lots of videos explaining it.