[APP][5.0+] FairEmail - Fully featured, open source, privacy oriented email app

[M66B]

@M66B
I know that you mentioned before that no one will never get money with selling software.

I have a question, why don't you make it like a subscription service ?

If the price would be fair, I believe many of the users would pay for it. At least it would be a small help to you to make sense to keep this project alive!

I will probably decide what to do after Google's phone call tomorrow.

 

[heisert]

Argl subscription service. He said the bad word!

 

[M66B]

Argl subscription service. He said the bad word!

1 star.

 

[heisert]

Argl subscription service. He said the bad word! I never will paid for an app a subscription. He can raise the price, ok, but subscriptionfor an app. brrrrrr

edit: double post. sorry

 

[hakaishi]

I'm mostly developing for Debian/Ubuntu, so I don't get this kind of threatening mails. On the other hand my email address is known everywhere. I'm receiving tons of spam and even black mails threatening me to pay money and things. Everything unrelated to my projects though, but mostly because my mail address is public on Debian and thus to many other platforms as well.
Actually, I sometimes enjoy to see them. Laughing my ass off that they can't do anything because of FairEmail removing everything for me. Their data is very old and outdated as well.
For example saying that they got videos of me, when I never let my webcam plugged in when not actually using it.
Being privacy conscious has many benefits

If I were in your shoes, I guess I'd either go to the police & also contact google about it, or I'd just drop the play-store stuff. You don't need to depend on that. It might reach more people, but why need to reach people who don't feel any gratitude and just think they can do whatever they want to.

 

[heisert]

I'm really curious if google will contact @M66B tomorrow. and what they have to say about the whole (bad/joke) "sending contacts" / spyware story.

 

[AG3S]

Argl subscription service. He said the bad word!

Why not if is it fair?!! that is the problem of the privacy world... we need to pay for what is good!!!

We do agree to pay for all games and other apps which tones of trackers but when it comes to great apps like an email client which we use on a daily basis... and personally my life depends on it.

I would recommend having different plans with different functions. basic and pro.

I really wish you decide to keep supporting this software. A fair yearly subscription would be GREAT!

I installed Fairmail from F-Droid and after one day of using it I paid for the the pro version (via a donation). I love this app ... and it will be a huge loss for me

K9 has no chance over Fairmail!!!!!!

 

[AG3S]

I'm really curious if google will contact @M66B tomorrow. and what they have to say about the whole (bad/joke) "sending contacts" / spyware story.

I hear you regarding the subscription... but sometimes to support a developer we as the users should step up... I am donating to Thunderbird a few Euros a month although I am not using it... I know it is not much but such small donations might keep these projects to keep on going...

 

[heisert]

I hear you regarding the subscription... but sometimes to support a developer we as the users should step up... I am donating to Thunderbird a few Euros a month although I am not using it... I know it is not much but such small donations might keep these projects to keep on going...

I bought Enpass for 65€ for one time purchase while i hate subscriptons. Price isnt my point. I dont like Subscriptions. I could have it for free if i get the Google Play Pass but this was a Subscription too .
U got my Point? I do donating too when i like the project.

But i think the money wasnt the real problem bout fairemail atm. (it is google & some idiots with unfair reviews)

 

[V0latyle]

I must point out that all development shared on XDA, including apps, must be free to use, or include a free version. The bottom line is that XDA may not be used for income generation.

Read the policy here

 

[heisert]

@V0latyle good point. Why some Users post bad comments or email the dev with hate for a "open source" Email Client which in itself is free. Thats complete mad! When they bought the Pro license for a few euros you can insult people, or threaten violance? maybe iam to old but I can no longer understand people today.

ot: really bad time where we live right now (corona,war etc.)

 

[Will_T]

@M66B
I have a question, why don't you make it like a subscription service ?

I would pay double the Pro fee annually and be happy if you get the Play Store censure figured out. Hopefully they will let you know tomorrow some specifics.

You might then have to go to personal support only for the subscriptions. And then let users in this thread answer questions for new users of the free version.

And, you will have to figure out if you can let the Play Store reviews not bother you as much. As has been said dozens of times in this thread, some people are not reasonable and to make life enjoyable, you need to ignore the unreasonableness. Even if this means the app review rating drops, that does not matter. There is really no way to keep an app rated at 4.7 or 4.8 without a lot of undeserved stress. And I don't think an app with a 4.7 rating has anymore credibility than an app with a 4.1 rating. For me if an app is rated over 4.0, I consider it and then read reviews. Users are smart enough to filter out the stupid reviews from their consideration. Especially since you respond to them with an explanation.

But all this is contingent upon you decided what is right for you. If you are no longer happy working and supporting any project like this, or if it just does not suit you any longer, then nothing short of turning it over to someone else will keep it viable in the long term. And nothing other than that will make you happpy.

 

[sssubito]

@M66B
I know that you mentioned before that no one will never get money with selling software.

I have a question, why don't you make it like a subscription service ?

If the price would be fair, I believe many of the users would pay for it. At least it would be a small help to you to make sense to keep this project alive!

I prefer to avoid subscriptions whenever possible because that usually means you don't "own" the software anymore that you "purchased". And as @heisert I hate software subscriptions, regardless of fair price. If FE would change to a subscription model I'd sadly have to leave it behind, maybe, depends, sh*t, I'm kind of dependent on FE. I wouldn't like the need to search for something as good as it is.

And with a subscription model a developer likely has more obligations to deliver at least "something" regularly (e.g. in the case of Adobe a whole bucket of new bugs, vulnerabilities, ..., well and some little improvements maybe, too). In the past I thought Adobe Flash is really crappy security nightmare, now it's Adobe alone.
I can't shine with experience as I'm no developer but I bet with subscriptions the amount of bad reactions from users would rise, the expectations would be different and probably more toxic.

I haven't read the whole thread here, so it might have been discussed already. I wouldn't mind if FE were not for free but that would've excluded it from XDA as @V0latyle pointed out. Not sure if a paid app would give fewer toxic reactions from morons who think a free app comes with life-long support and a personal dev slave. Unfortunately we live in an online world where stupids would buy a software just to complain about something and immediately cry for a refund (which an app store will likely grant them within some bounds).

 

[M66B]

I prefer to avoid subscriptions whenever possible because that usually means you don't "own" the software anymore that you "purchased". And as @heisert I hate software subscriptions, regardless of fair price. If FE would change to a subscription model I'd sadly have to leave it behind, maybe, depends, sh*t, I'm kind of dependent on FE. I wouldn't like the need to search for something as good as it is.

And with a subscription model a developer likely has more obligations to deliver at least "something" regularly (e.g. in the case of Adobe a whole bucket of new bugs, vulnerabilities, ..., well and some little improvements maybe, too). In the past I thought Adobe Flash is really crappy security nightmare, now it's Adobe alone.
I can't shine with experience as I'm no developer but I bet with subscriptions the amount of bad reactions from users would rise, the expectations would be different and probably more toxic.

I haven't read the whole thread here, so it might have been discussed already. I wouldn't mind if FE were not for free but that would've excluded it from XDA as @V0latyle pointed out. Not sure if a paid app would give fewer toxic reactions from morons who think a free app comes with life-long support and a personal dev slave. Unfortunately we live in an online world where stupids would buy a software just to complain about something and immediately cry for a refund (which an app store will likely grant them within some bounds).

I don't mean this in a bad way, if money was the sole motivating factor, I might not even have started the project at all, but it sounds hypocritical that you hate subscriptions, you go even as far to say that you would leave the app behind for it, and that you on the other hand are depending on the app. Don't you want support if something doesn't work? Don't you want the app to be updated for new Android versions, which your next device might run? In other words, don't you want the app at least to be maintained and supported, and the room for improvement to be used?

Again, I don't mean this in a bad way. It just seems to me that you are mad because of bad behavior of others. That doesn't mean that everybody will behave in the same way.

 

[hugox]

Hi @M66B,

First thing, I wish all the best for your girlfriend. Nothing is more important than our loved ones.

This situation is a very sad news to me, but it seems that Google is targeting a lot of apps that help us, users, to not be dependable of Google apps.

When I was looking for an email app, with privacy in mind, to be able to not use GMAIL/Outlook apps with my accounts outside that ecosystem I was almost giving up, no valid alternative in my opinion. But then I found FE in F-Droid, and what an amazing app, everything and more than I needed. I looked the works of the developer, and with that I new that I could really trust this app and that it would be one of the best apps for our devices and one, of the must have, apps for all of Us that care for privacy.

So thank you @M66B so much for all you effort, work, dedication and passion. Even in this relentless "fight" with Google, even after saying that you would step aside, shows your passion and how much you value your work and ideals. We really need of a more @M66B out there.

About the idea of subscription or only a paid version, one thing that I believe is that most of the privacy advocates share at their hearts, is to make this apps at reach of many users as possible, hopping that their support to developer allows for the app to stay alive and to be available as free, in some sort, for those that don't have the economic possibilities at that moment.
Making these privacy-oriented apps only available through payments sadly will make that those who can't afford have no choice but to use the big Corps that we try to avoid. But when that's the only viable way....

Sorry for any mistakes, English is not my maternal language has you could see.

@M66B thanks once again for everything, I believe how hard must be to read those Emails/Reviews/Comments when doing something with such passion and intention to share it with the ones that supposedly would have, at part the same vision regarding privacy. But, for the rest of Us, we can't thank YOU enough.

 

[norbusan]

Long time pro user and patreon sponsor here. I would miss FairEmail a lot, thanks for all your work Marcel @M66B but I completely understand and support your decision.

 

[ReevaluateAdNauseam]

Hi Marcel,

First, thank you for all the time and dedication, and for your unrelenting striving for perfection, which is only matched by a very, very few other developers. Your software trumps in quality and breadth of features everything else out there - no question about it. And you do it by yourself. My hat goes off to you sir!
I have bought multiple licences for FairEmail, as well as sent larger contributions, simply because to my mind the asking price is way too modest. As much as I avoid subscriptions, if you decide to go this route, you will have my full support! If a large lump sum ($100 or more) is feasible for a lifetime license, I will gladly do that. If you chose to implement annual or monthly subscription, I will have your back. I just hope with all my heart that FairEmail won't be abandoned.
As far as Google goes - they are disgusting, borderline criminal bureaucrats, hellbent on smearing and destroying any truly privacy preserving software. I don't use Google for anything - whenever there is a chance - I buy my applications straight from the developer. I realize this puts me in a (growing) minority. I know that Google will eventually drop their baseless, vicious, slanderous attack and reinstate the app. Even so, I can't help the feeling that your app is too good for the Google Play Store. I know, I know - the vast majority of downloads are from there, but think of all the people that have already discovered the app, fallen in love with it and are ready to follow you outside of Google Play. Folks that appreciate the app will buy it again, none of that "I don't want to lose my GP store license" nonsense.
Also, many others have said it before me, but I will join in - don't be discouraged by the "reviews" of stupid, incoherent, moronic, two-bit nobodies. If you were a bit more arrogant, I believe you would dismiss and despise them, but you are very gentle and noble, so you suffer needlessly.
People who understand how lucky we are to have someone like you are the ones who fully support you, the others - to hell with them.
I wish all the best to you and your girlfriend!
Thanks.

 

[Privacy1]

Marcel/M66B, thanks for all your support and development. You did what you loved, which is creating privacy-focused tools/projects and you were very good at it, I use Netguard to this day and will continue to use it on my android 7. When I sent you a low priority email, I didn't even expect such a quick response, This shows that you are someone who cares about the end user. But today all this support, emails, doubts, the problem with Google, the situation of your girlfriend, the lack of financial support, made you discouraged and you are right, I support your idea, you need time, life , support for yourself, develop you and your family. I love Netguard and I didn't want him to die like that, but he's part of your story, he's part of you. And you need time, peace and life. I am unemployed, but I will support Netguard soon. I created an Xda account just to answer you. Hugs from Brazil and sorry for my English.

 

[sssubito]

I don't mean this in a bad way, if money was the sole motivating factor, I might not even have started the project at all, but it sounds hypocritical that you hate subscriptions, you go even as far to say that you would leave the app behind for it, and that you on the other hand are depending on the app. Don't you want support if something doesn't work? Don't you want the app to be updated for new Android versions, which your next device might run? In other words, don't you want the app at least to be maintained and supported, and the room for improvement to be used?

Again, I don't mean this in a bad way. It just seems to me that you are mad because of bad behavior of others. That doesn't mean that everybody will behave in the same way.

Being dependent on FE was probably a bit exaggerated. For me It's simply the best there is and I'd be very much not amused to not have it. I don't see a fit replacement for it on the market.

As I already said, I don't like (hate might have been too much, not sure) software subscriptions because this usually implies that you just rent the software and don't own it. If you have to stop paying the subscription for whatever reason, you usually can't use the app anymore (or it's usually crippled beyond usability).

Yes, I'd appreciate support and maintenance of the app. I'd be willing to pay more for a paid app version, if that pays off for the dev's sustained app support. But I don't know what the best way is for a happy app dev.

Yes, I am sad and even mad at ill-minded people who frustrate you with very bad behavior (I feel like this gets worse and worse which is even more sad) and the Google robots that force you into a vogonian burocracy-like treadmill with the so far outcome that you as dev have decided to stop further development. I respect your decission. It might not be your final word (I hope so) but for now it is what it is. Frankly, I am not happy with that and likely no one is who likes to use your apps.

What matters most is that your girlfriend gets better because health and life are the most precious things. You might need a brake to get over toxic people and trolls and maybe Google. Wish you a good call today with Google.

 

[ignoramous]

@M66B

(a fellow android firewall developer here)

You are an inspiration to a generation of NetGuard/FairEmail users and developers like me.

Do what you feel comfortable with.

Please don't let the _abuse_ get to you. You don't deserve it. Especially, after all these years of development effort and technical support.

My sincere hope is you reinstate the apps and find a way to make it a financially viable endeavour.

No matter what, you'll always be our hero.