I’m getting ready to move off of Google (and Private Internet Access), and Proton is looking like the best option. But I’m nervous. Some of the things I worry about:

  • Calendar support: I rely really heavily on Google Calendar. How will I share events with others? And what will I do without Google Tasks?
  • VPN App Quality: Seeing some mixed reviews on Proton VPN Android app.
  • Proton ethics & politics: Look, I really don’t want to open up the holy war here. My big stipulation is: I don’t want my money to go to a company that will donate its money or services to fascists. To my knowledge, Proton does not do that. I know they made a post that seemed to praise GOP antitrust efforts. I do not believe that that is the same thing as lending material support for fascists. (And, as someone who is very well read-in on antitrust issues, I’ll say that – for a lot of complicated reasons – there is some truth to Proton’s post, but I wish they had framed it as a critique of the corporate wing of the Democratic party and not praise of the GOP.)
  • Anything else I haven’t thought to ask.

So, folks who have made the switch: What do you wish you had known? What do you wish you had done to make the move easier?

Thank you for your advice.

  • rutrum@programming.devEnglish
    0·
    3 days ago

    Dont delete the gmail. As much as I want to move on…i still remember the occassional account tied to my gmail, and Im so, so thankful I can still get whatever notification, reset password, etc. I dont know when I’ll feel comfortable deleting it. As long as Im getting emails, I can at least use it to reference what accounts still need to be moved over.

    So despite “moving” emails I kind of just added one. But not a big deal, and the safety net is nice.

  • Swarfega@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    5 days ago

    I looked to see if I could get by replacing Photos with Drive in Proton. Whilst I can upload stuff. Videos greater than 100mb need to be downloaded to be watched. I guess because Google process videos to allow them to be streamed. Sadly a deal breaker for me :(

      • Swarfega@lemm.eeEnglish
        1·
        2 days ago

        Yeah. I have a free account I used for testing. I need to give it another go really. I liked it but it is still not a patch on Google Photos in terms of usability for viewing or finding photos.

  • Kongar@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    01·
    5 days ago

    Proton works fine for me. Email client works as you’d expect in iOS and the webmail is the same as any other. I don’t use the calendar though so can’t comment there. I DO use the vpn heavily. I don’t understand the issues people have with it because it’s always been good for me. I use it on my phone and multiple computers - even Linux (the unofficial flatpak also works well).

    The thing I wish I realized earlier (keep in mind that I started using it like 10 years ago) is that it’s impossible to degoogle your life. Yay I use proton - but everyone else still uses Gmail so google gets it all anyway. Not everything, but you get the idea.

  • FrostyTrichs@crazypeople.online
    0·
    5 days ago

    Went from Google to Proton and have since moved on from Proton. If there’s one thing I wish I would’ve thought of before switching it would’ve been not using a single provider for everything.

    At the end of the day it got me off Google, but with more or less the same situation I started with. Everything I was using was housed by one company. If they go under or turn evil you’re scrambling to replace all your online services at once all over again. That isn’t something I’m comfortable with so I split my service selection up and moved to multiple companies for the services I actually use.

    Having everything in one place is super convenient until something happens that makes you want or need to move again. I’m happier now and ended up paying a bit less overall which is cool.

    • Akito@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      5 days ago

      I don’t know if that makes much sense. If you lose, for example, assuming you spread it over three providers, 1/3 of your accounts, wouldn’t this already be bad enough? I think, the overhead of using so many different services simultaneously is way bigger and more real, than something bad happening to the single service I settled with. Am also with Proton for many many years (back then, it was only “ProtonMail”…) and nothing bad happened. It only got better & better over the years. It’s amazing.

      • bl4kers@lemmy.mlEnglish
        0·
        4 days ago

        I’m not sure what you mean. The “overhead” is putting your different logins into a password manager, no?