Ask HN: Degoogling in 2024

[docflabby]

After my play store account being deleted for "inactivity" despite having used it recently and having an app with over 1000 installs removed I've decided it's a sign to finally degoogle - any tips my main challenge is email!

[dna_polymerase]

For E-Mail there are plenty of hosted alternatives. Fastmail is usually what I recommend, but there are others: https://github.com/tycrek/degoogle?tab=readme-ov-file#gmail-...

[chrisjj]

+1 for Fastmail... unless you require solid mail search.

[docflabby]

Thanks!

[lijok]

Proton have a pretty nice platform now that replaces a lot of the gsuite offerings.

Kagi for search.

[oidar]

What google services do you use? Which are you finding hard to replace? I'm pretty much degoogled except for using YouTube. Kagi for search, Fastmail for mail (I played with Hey for awhile but they are so backwards in client features), Orion for a browser, Microsoft Authenticator, Mac calendar, iCloud office suite, iCloud photos, and Apple Maps.

As I mentioned, YouTube is pretty hard to replace as there is nothing else like it currently. Vimeo is not as open, Facebook, TikTok, X and others have their weird problems too.

[sshine]

Microsoft Authenticator, but why?

Of all these, Google Maps is the hardest for me to replace. It is the only I haven’t.

[oidar]

I already have to use MS Auth for work.

[elseleigh]

I cancelled my Google account more than five years ago and no longer use any of their services. Email is via a shared hosting account. I host my own CalDAV and CardDAV servers as well as shared notes and backup services. I run Linux on my computers, LineageOS on my phone. I browse with Firefox and use Open Street Maps. I've never been a YouTube user, preferring reading to watching video.

[sirodoht]

Fastmail is great for email. That said, I find degoogling manageable unless you also want to de-applyify in which case it's IMHO too fussy.

[Delk]

Phones certainly become difficult if you try to avoid both Google and Apple. Is there something else where you found it difficult to avoid both?

[_mlbt]

I don’t know how the technical details would work, but how great would it be to have email portability in the same manner that we can port our phone numbers between cell providers?

[tjwds]

This is, in my view, one of the primary benefits of using your own domain for email.

[noman-land]

As someone who has left, let me try to help.

Nextcloud

Syncthing

Firefox

Bitwarden

Aegis

GrapheneOS

F-Droid

ntfy

NewPipe

Signal

Matrix

Stop using email or do custom domain + some service. Sync locally with Thunderbird or whatever you like.

[gaws]

> Aegis

What is this?

[noman-land]

It's an open source authenticator app. It's great.

https://github.com/beemdevelopment/Aegis

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39808921

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33438540

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25803996

[iAkashPaul]

I use Zoho Mail with custom domains

[Venkatesh10]

Zoho have suite like Google

[reify]

I have been degoogled for a lifetime.

You really do not need anything google, except of course AOSP, The Android Open Source Project.

Where there is a will there is a way.

Buy a cheap 5 year old phone you can install a Lineage or E.foundation operating system.

https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/ https://doc.e.foundation/devices

Either that or learn to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to remove all those unnecessary apps on your current phone. You dont need most google stuff on your phone and they are not a required, in fact you do not need 75% of the bloatware on your phone, there are better open source alternatives.

Change your email provider. I use both protonmail and Tutanota email with very good apps. Proton also provide an excellent free protonvpn.

Create a email redirect from Gmail to either of the above until you have notified all your contacts of your email change. Dont forget your bank, insurance and utility providers and social media if you use them, etc.

live a stress free life, free of interruptions and abuse of your personal data.

an example of useless apps:: Which ones do you actually use??

com.google.android.backuptransport - Allows Android apps to back up their data on Google servers. com.google.android.apps.books - Google Books. com.google.android.apps.cloudprint - Cloud print. com.google.android.apps.currents - Currents. com.google.android.apps.docs - Google Drive. com.google.android.apps.fitness - Google Fit. com.google.android.apps.maps - Google Maps app. com.google.android.apps.photos - Google Photos. com.google.android.apps.plus - Google+. com.google.android.apps.restore - Restore apps during first boot. com.google.android.apps.tachyon - Google Duo. com.google.android.apps.turbo - Device Health Services, DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.apps.wallpaper - Google Wallpapers. Safe to remove. com.google.android.apps.wellbeing - Digital Wellbeing app that is prebuilt in Android Pie. Safe to remove. com.android.documentsui - This prompts you with a window for apps wishing to access files outside of their own storage area. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.ext.services - Android Notification Ranking service, part of Android Services Library. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.feedback - When an app crashes, this is the app that briefly asks you if you want to feedback the crash on the market, Google Play Store. com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox - Google Search. com.google.android.gm - G-mail app. com.google.android.gms - Google Play Services. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.gsf - Google Services Framework, needed for Google Apps. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.gsf.login - Support for managing Google accounts. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.inputmethod.latin - G Board. com.google.ar.core - Google ARCore app. com.google.marvin.talkback - Adds some features about accessibility settings. com.google.android.markup - Google Markup app made for modifying pictures, ships by default on every Pie+ device. com.google.android.onetimeinitializer - Provides first time setup, safe to remove. com.google.android.packageinstaller - Gives ability to install, update or remove applications on the device. com.google.android.partnersetup - Software that helps other apps to work with Google products. com.google.android.play.games - Google Play Games. com.google.android.setupwizard - Removable after the first start of the phone, it's the basic configuration wizard that drives you through first boot. com.google.android.soundpicker - Google Sounds. Removable if you already have another media select service. com.google.android.street - Google Street View app. com.google.android.syncadapters.calendar - Google Calendar sync. com.google.android.syncadapters.contacts - Google Contacts sync. com.google.android.talk - Google Hangouts. com.google.android.tts - Text-to-speech powers apps to read text on your scream aloud, in many languages. com.google.android.videos - Google Play Movies. com.google.android.webview - WebView interface. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.youtube - YouTube app. com.google.tango.measure - Google Measure app.

have fun

[fsflover]

> You really do not need anything google, except of course AOSP

I'm using a GNU/Linux phone just fine. No Android is needed.

[bean-weevil]

Which one are you using, and how's it treating you? I've been thinking about biting the bullet and going this route for a while.

[fsflover]

I'm happy with Librem 5 as a daily driver. Here is a recent thread with my participation about it: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39452147

[docflabby]

Unfortunately for banking apps etc need a android or iPhone will probably make the switch to apple...

[fsflover]

You can use Waydroid, or, if the bank forces you into the duopoly, you should complain.

[cpach]

No offence, but this should be a FAQ entry somewhere…

Anyway: Fastmail seems to be a popular alternative these days.