Unbundling Digital Privacy: A DIY Approach for Northeast India

In the digital age, maintaining privacy and security has become paramount. Proton Suite, a popular choice for many, offers an all-in-one solution for email, cloud storage, and collaboration. However, its recurring subscription fee and centralized ecosystem can be a turnoff for some. This article explores an alternative approach to achieving the same level of encryption and peace of mind without the monthly cost, focusing on open-source and self-hosting applications that are relevant to users in Northeast India.

Building a Home for Your Files: Nextcloud

Nextcloud, an open-source productivity suite, serves as the cornerstone of our unbundled digital life. It offers a customizable home for all your files, replacing Proton Drive. With Nextcloud Files, you can enjoy fast sync speeds on local networks, outperforming cloud providers. The suite also provides native apps for various platforms, including Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android, ensuring seamless integration across devices.

Quality Mobile Apps

One surprising aspect of Nextcloud is the quality of its mobile apps, particularly the Android app. It fully supports Material You, making it feel natively integrated into your phone. The app offers a clean gallery view, media auto-upload, and a range of productivity tools such as notes, contacts, calendar, email, and project management with Kanban board support.

Writing Securely: HedgeDoc

For collaborative writing, HedgeDoc offers a robust alternative to Proton Docs. It provides a split-screen interface for writing in plain text and previewing the rendered content. The collaboration experience is smooth, and HedgeDoc even offers mermaid.js for diagrams, LaTeX for math formulas, and a presentation mode.

Privacy and Control

Unlike Proton Docs, HedgeDoc is self-hosted, ensuring your data remains private and invisible to the outside world. You don't have to trust a Swiss data center; instead, you only need to trust the hardware you host it on, such as a Raspberry Pi.

Securing Your Passwords: Bitwarden

Bitwarden, an open-source password manager, replaces Proton Pass. It offers a generous free tier, allowing users to create unlimited entries, check templates, and take advantage of auto-fill on mobile platforms. For those who prefer self-hosting, Vaultwarden can be run on your own server.

Versatility Across Platforms

Bitwarden is available on various platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and as a browser extension. This versatility makes it an ideal choice for users in Northeast India who may use multiple devices.

Managing Emails and Calendars: Thunderbird

Thunderbird, a cross-platform email client from Mozilla, serves as a bridge between open-source solutions and the Google Workspace ecosystem that is prevalent in many workplaces in Northeast India. The recent Nebula update has given Thunderbird a modern look and feel, making it a viable alternative to Proton's email and calendar services.

Staying Connected

Thunderbird supports IMAP and CalDAV, ensuring seamless integration with Google Workspace and other services. The Android app is also available, providing a modern and snappy user interface.

Embracing the DIY Privacy Stack

While unbundling your digital life may require more management and troubleshooting, the benefits, such as a faster independent workflow and a zero monthly bill, can outweigh the drawbacks. This approach allows you to explore various configurations to find the one that best suits your needs. We encourage readers in Northeast India to consider unbundling one app at a time and experiencing the benefits of open-source and self-hosting solutions.