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Can someone explain in simple terms why, in 2019, anyone is running their own mail server? Unless you are the sysadmin, server guy/gal, whatever, this just soun

Can someone explain in simple terms why, in 2019, anyone is running their own mail server? Unless you are the sysadmin, server guy/gal, whatever, this just sounds like signing up for a world of hurt doing it yourself.

jamesgeck0 8y ago
If you've been doing it for 15 years, why should you have to stop?
simmons 8y ago
Contrary to popular opinion, I don't think the technical aspects of operating a mail server are all that hard. Perhaps I'm underestimating the learning curve since I've been doing it for 27 years. (If you're running your own mail server, you are the sysadmin.) The frustration comes with scenarios such as the one outlined in this blog post, where small mail server operators get bullied even though they are doing everything right. I can completely understand not wanting to operate a mail server due to this situation, or not having interest in leveling-up server administration skills. For those of us who do have expertise in running mail servers, it's a shame we have to deal with these obstacles.
- calvinmorrison 8y ago
  The biggest obstacle of course is dealing with deliverability problems. As most posters have commented here, getting people to accept your mail, and accepting mail from reputable sources isn't an easy problem to solve. At FastMail, a considerable amount of time is spent ensuring customers don't need to worry about deliverability problems or spammy inboxes. To me, that's the biggest reason not to spend time running your own infrastructure for mail. Getting people to accept your mail reliably, is much harder than adjusting some postfix configuration.
perlgod 8y ago
Because email is one of the few edifices left of the truly open internet, and some of us aren’t ready to concede defeat of what was once a free platform to a corporate oligarchy.
bhauer 8y ago
It's not as difficult as you've been lead to believe. But if you have no experience with administering servers, the initial learning curve could be significant. The upsides, sharing many of the common features of all self-hosting, are things such as pure and total control, data privacy, ultimate flexibility of configuration (e.g., infinite and unfettered aliasing), customization of interface, high-performance, etc.
13security 8y ago
Because they have no way of measuring how much of their outbound mail is going straight to Junk, so they just assume their messages are being ignored.

jamesgeck0 8y ago

If you've been doing it for 15 years, why should you have to stop?

simmons 8y ago

Contrary to popular opinion, I don't think the technical aspects of operating a mail server are all that hard. Perhaps I'm underestimating the learning curve since I've been doing it for 27 years. (If you're running your own mail server, you are the sysadmin.) The frustration comes with scenarios such as the one outlined in this blog post, where small mail server operators get bullied even though they are doing everything right. I can completely understand not wanting to operate a mail server due to this situation, or not having interest in leveling-up server administration skills. For those of us who do have expertise in running mail servers, it's a shame we have to deal with these obstacles.

calvinmorrison 8y ago
The biggest obstacle of course is dealing with deliverability problems. As most posters have commented here, getting people to accept your mail, and accepting mail from reputable sources isn't an easy problem to solve. At FastMail, a considerable amount of time is spent ensuring customers don't need to worry about deliverability problems or spammy inboxes. To me, that's the biggest reason not to spend time running your own infrastructure for mail. Getting people to accept your mail reliably, is much harder than adjusting some postfix configuration.

perlgod 8y ago

Because email is one of the few edifices left of the truly open internet, and some of us aren’t ready to concede defeat of what was once a free platform to a corporate oligarchy.

bhauer 8y ago

It's not as difficult as you've been lead to believe. But if you have no experience with administering servers, the initial learning curve could be significant. The upsides, sharing many of the common features of all self-hosting, are things such as pure and total control, data privacy, ultimate flexibility of configuration (e.g., infinite and unfettered aliasing), customization of interface, high-performance, etc.

13security 8y ago

Because they have no way of measuring how much of their outbound mail is going straight to Junk, so they just assume their messages are being ignored.