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50b986a265
refactor README.rst and architecture file into sphinx doc project, automatically deploying on main merges and PRs. * add FAQs from https://chatmail.at/relays landing page * fix links, and streamline postfix/dovecot mentioning * add linkcheck to CI, fix several links and streamlihne DKIM section while at it * some streamlining, rename to "overview" * ci: upload documentation to chatmail.at/doc/relay * ci: main should be uploaded when docs.yaml changes * ci: fix typo * Update .github/workflows/docs-preview.yaml Co-authored-by: missytake <missytake@systemli.org>
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62 lines
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Frequently asked questions
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===========================
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What is the difference between chatmail relays and classic email servers?
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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A chatmail relay is a minimal Mail Transport Agent (MTA) setup that
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goes beyond what classic email servers offer:
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- **Zero State:** no private data or metadata collected, messages are auto-deleted, low disk usage
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- **Instant/Realtime:** sub-second message delivery, realtime P2P
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streaming, privacy-preserving Push Notifications for Apple, Google, and `Ubuntu Touch <https://docs.ubports.com/en/latest/appdev/guides/pushnotifications.html>`_;
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- **Security Enforcement**: only strict TLS, DKIM and OpenPGP with minimized metadata accepted
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- **Reliable Federation and Decentralization:** No spam or IP reputation checks, federating
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depends on established IETF standards and protocols.
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How about interoperability with classic email servers?
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-------------------------------------------------------
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Generally, chatmail relays interoperate well with classic email servers.
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However, some chatmail relays may be blocked by Big-Tech email
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providers that use intransparent and proprietary techniques for scanning
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and looking at cleartext email messages between users, or because they
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use questionable IP-reputation systems that break interoperability.
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**Chatmail relays instead use and require strong cryptography, allowing
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anyone to participate, without having to submit to Big-Tech
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restrictions.**
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.. _selfhosted:
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How are chatmail relays run? Can I run one myself?
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--------------------------------------------------
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Chatmail relays are designed to be very cheap to run, and are generally
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self-funded by respective operators. All chatmail relays are
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automatically deployed and updated using `the chatmail relay
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repository <https://github.com/chatmail/relay>`__. Chatmail relays are
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composed of proven standard email server components, Postfix and
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Dovecot, and are configured to run unattended without much maintenance
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effort. Chatmail relays happily run on low-end hardware like a Raspberry
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Pi.
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How trustable are chatmail relays?
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----------------------------------
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Chatmail relays enforce end-to-end encryption,
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and chatmail clients like `Delta Chat <https://delta.chat>`_
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enforce end-to-end encryption on their own.
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The end-to-end encryption protection includes attached media, user
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display names, avatars and group names. What is visible to operators is:
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message date, sender and receiver addresses.
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Please see the `Delta Chat FAQ on encryption and security <https://delta.chat/en/help#e2ee>`_ for further info.
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