Is Disroot Dying?

DrJ commented

2026-07-06 06:56:28 +02:00

I have been a happy user of disroot.org e-mail for 5 years. But this year I have seen deterioration and read about it on other sites.

My Sent box has not worked for 6 months. I get an error message something like "no connection to the server". The messages get sent but my draft folder has become my sent box and the messages are not always complete. I have no record of time and date of sending. I have had to take a second e-mail address (from another provider) and cc all my sent messages to that address.

I have written to disroot support about it many times. But, for the past month, there have been no answers.

These have been my experiences but they are just examples. There other examples on other sites, from other disroot users.

I would like to continue with disroot but how can I if it doesn't work and more and more issues come up over time?

Is disroot disrooting?

Some say that disroot's programming is not up to the mark. A lot of problems seem to have come from roundcube.

Others say that the system works but the small volunteer staff cannot handle the rapidly-growing workload. As a free service, every new user is not a gain but a cost: it is no help and extra burden to customer-stuff like a profit- maximiser. It is better, with a free model, to serve 50 customers well than 5,000 customers badly. Maybe what is needed is not disrooting but cutting the grass.

I hope disroot can solve its problems because I love its ideology and product. What it needs is some realistic non-marketing and some tough, effective, professional managers.

Good luck!

I have been a happy user of disroot.org e-mail for 5 years. But this year I have seen deterioration and read about it on other sites. My Sent box has not worked for 6 months. I get an error message something like "no connection to the server". The messages get sent but my draft folder has become my sent box and the messages are not always complete. I have no record of time and date of sending. I have had to take a second e-mail address (from another provider) and cc all my sent messages to that address. I have written to disroot support about it many times. But, for the past month, there have been no answers. These have been my experiences but they are just examples. There other examples on other sites, from other disroot users. I would like to continue with disroot but how can I if it doesn't work and more and more issues come up over time? Is disroot disrooting? Some say that disroot's programming is not up to the mark. A lot of problems seem to have come from roundcube. Others say that the system works but the small volunteer staff cannot handle the rapidly-growing workload. As a free service, every new user is not a gain but a cost: it is no help and extra burden to customer-stuff like a profit- maximiser. It is better, with a free model, to serve 50 customers well than 5,000 customers badly. Maybe what is needed is not disrooting but cutting the grass. I hope disroot can solve its problems because I love its ideology and product. What it needs is some realistic non-marketing and some tough, effective, professional managers. Good luck!

muppeth commented

2026-07-06 08:38:48 +02:00

Owner

Hi, Can you send email to support@disroot.org so we can try and debug what's going on with your account? Otherwise it's hard to even know which account we're talking and can't share personal information in a public thread.

DrJ commented

2026-07-06 16:25:44 +02:00

Author

Yes, I sent your message to support@disroot.org even though I have contacted them many times about my own account and they did not even answer last month.

You missed my point if you think I am just trying to get my Sent box to work.

Yes, I sent your message to support@disroot.org even though I have contacted them many times about my own account and they did not even answer last month. You missed my point if you think I am just trying to get my Sent box to work.

muppeth commented

2026-07-06 22:36:55 +02:00

Owner

I didn't miss your point but I don't know what you want me to say. Right now we are a group of three people out of which two deal with the technical stuff. So if you spoke to me or meaz you pretty much reached the entire team, aka "them". I understand your frustrations but I don't know what do you want me to say.

As I mention to you in the reply to the support ticket you sent, I am just like you the daily user of disroot. I use the same tools as anyone else. Sure it has some quirtks and issues here and there and I suffer from them just as much, but I do think it's not as bad as you are trying to paint it. We are doing our best to provide as best experience as possible given the tiny budget and time we have to dedicate to the project. I do think we are doing quite well and I am sure we can do even better which is what we constantly strive to do. Provide better and better experience and service. It's an ongoing journey we are on. It became for us a hobby and a way of life and trust me, noone more then us wants Disroot to operate to the best of it's abilities and survive.

I didn't miss your point but I don't know what you want me to say. Right now we are a group of three people out of which two deal with the technical stuff. So if you spoke to me or meaz you pretty much reached the entire team, aka "them". I understand your frustrations but I don't know what do you want me to say. As I mention to you in the reply to the support ticket you sent, I am just like you the daily user of disroot. I use the same tools as anyone else. Sure it has some quirtks and issues here and there and I suffer from them just as much, but I do think it's not as bad as you are trying to paint it. We are doing our best to provide as best experience as possible given the tiny budget and time we have to dedicate to the project. I do think we are doing quite well and I am sure we can do even better which is what we constantly strive to do. Provide better and better experience and service. It's an ongoing journey we are on. It became for us a hobby and a way of life and trust me, noone more then us wants Disroot to operate to the best of it's abilities and survive.

❤️ 2

DrJ commented

2026-07-07 17:50:16 +02:00

Author

I didn't miss your point but I don't know what you want me to say.
Right now we are a group of three people out of which two deal with the
technical stuff.

Those comments were directed more at the strategic and policy staff
than the engineers. Maybe you can pass the message on to them.

> I didn't miss your point but I don't know what you want me to say. > Right now we are a group of three people out of which two deal with the > technical stuff. > > Those comments were directed more at the strategic and policy staff > than the engineers. Maybe you can pass the message on to them.

meaz commented

2026-07-07 17:54:32 +02:00

Owner

lol. The whole staff is the three of us!

DrJ commented

2026-07-07 18:12:22 +02:00

Author

lol. The whole staff is the three of us!

So, tell the other guy to stop accepting new users and reduce the
number of users, last-in-first-out, to a level that 2 volunteer
engineers can handle easily. As the service is free, disroot loses
nothing. If he wants to serve more users, he should have a recruiting
drive for engineers and sell advertising on the site so he can pay
them. I don't want to see a profit-based service, but you two sound
exploited and you guys can't turn absolute zero into something . . .
unless you are elves.

MDGA!

(Make Disroot Great Again) Dr J

> lol. The whole staff is the three of us! > > So, tell the other guy to stop accepting new users and reduce the > number of users, last-in-first-out, to a level that 2 volunteer > engineers can handle easily. As the service is free, disroot loses > nothing. If he wants to serve more users, he should have a recruiting > drive for engineers and sell advertising on the site so he can pay > them. I don't want to see a profit-based service, but you two sound > exploited and you guys can't turn absolute zero into something . . . > unless you are elves. > > MDGA! > > (Make Disroot Great Again) Dr J

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azalty commented

2026-07-08 20:49:19 +02:00

I don't think the issues are due to them accepting new signups, but rather the amount of work relative to their number (3) and their limited free time (iirc only 1 person is full time on the project)

The service has issues but so far nothing alarming to me, but then I'm not a mail user and mail is a pain to configure. Good thing I run mailcow haha, such a pain to setup most mail servers...

I don't think the issues are due to them accepting new signups, but rather the amount of work relative to their number (3) and their limited free time (iirc only 1 person is full time on the project) The service has issues but so far nothing alarming to me, but then I'm not a mail user and mail is a pain to configure. Good thing I run mailcow haha, such a pain to setup most mail servers...

DrJ commented

2026-07-09 06:27:33 +02:00

Author

What you are saying is that supply and demand have no relationship. With 3 volunteer staff, you can have infinite users and there will be no negative impact on service and the quality of performance.

As an economist, with respect, I disagree. I submit that disroot's deterioration this year is the direct result of the fact that the same 3 guys disroot started with are trying to deal with all the problems of many more (thousands?) of users.

You say you don't use mail service. Don't believe me. Look around on the net and see what people are saying about disroot. The only thing good about it is it is discouraging new sign-ups so the problem doesn't get worse.

I have submitted practical solutions: (1) stop new sign-ups (2) cancel enrollments on a last in-first out basis until the workload is easily manageable for our "tres hermanas" and the programming problems can be solved (3) recruit more engineers to allow restart of sign-ups (4) sell advertising so the service can remain reliably free and good engineers can be paid (starting with our 3 legacy slaves).

As you can't sell advertising if your service is going to pot, maybe (1) and (2) have to come before (3) and (4).

Otherwise, disroot will continue to disroot and there will be nothing left.

What you are saying is that supply and demand have no relationship. With 3 volunteer staff, you can have infinite users and there will be no negative impact on service and the quality of performance. As an economist, with respect, I disagree. I submit that disroot's deterioration this year is the direct result of the fact that the same 3 guys disroot started with are trying to deal with all the problems of many more (thousands?) of users. You say you don't use mail service. Don't believe me. Look around on the net and see what people are saying about disroot. The only thing good about it is it is discouraging new sign-ups so the problem doesn't get worse. I have submitted practical solutions: (1) stop new sign-ups (2) cancel enrollments on a last in-first out basis until the workload is easily manageable for our "tres hermanas" and the programming problems can be solved (3) recruit more engineers to allow restart of sign-ups (4) sell advertising so the service can remain reliably free and good engineers can be paid (starting with our 3 legacy slaves). As you can't sell advertising if your service is going to pot, maybe (1) and (2) have to come before (3) and (4). Otherwise, disroot will continue to disroot and there will be nothing left.

👎 1

wallun commented

2026-07-09 07:19:05 +02:00

Email is not an instant messaging system by design, period
Servers know to queue emails that are not delivered
Clients know to queue emails that are not sent.
This is by design and it works well.

The only thing good about it is it is discouraging new sign-ups so the problem doesn't get worse

Why would people complain about a free service that does not process user data?

Besides, reviews are not a relevant metrics of the health or the quality of anything, especially in 2026. One can buy reviews, especially in 2026.

I have submitted practical solutions: (1) stop new sign-ups (2) cancel enrollments on a last in-first out basis until the workload is easily manageable for our "tres hermanas" and the programming problems can be solved (3) recruit more engineers to allow restart of sign-ups (4) sell advertising so the service can remain reliably free and good engineers can be paid (starting with our 3 legacy slaves).

I disagree with that workflow. Here's a few reason why :

more engineers means more people that have access to sensitive data
more engineers doesn't mean problems are solved faster (2 pregnant ladies won't give 1 baby in 4.5 months)
more people means more meeting to keep everyone up to date
I don't feel like there are real issues with disroot services (
selling advertising is what made google remove its don't be evil credo
just because you pay people doesn't mean the service is good
I could continue for hours

Email is not an instant messaging system by design, period Servers know to queue emails that are not delivered Clients know to queue emails that are not sent. This is by design and it works well. > The only thing good about it is it is discouraging new sign-ups so the problem doesn't get worse Why would people complain about a free service that does not process user data? Besides, reviews are not a relevant metrics of the health or the quality of anything, especially in 2026. One can buy reviews, especially in 2026. > I have submitted practical solutions: (1) stop new sign-ups (2) cancel enrollments on a last in-first out basis until the workload is easily manageable for our "tres hermanas" and the programming problems can be solved (3) recruit more engineers to allow restart of sign-ups (4) sell advertising so the service can remain reliably free and good engineers can be paid (starting with our 3 legacy slaves). I disagree with that workflow. Here's a few reason why : - more engineers means more people that have access to sensitive data - more engineers doesn't mean problems are solved faster (2 pregnant ladies won't give 1 baby in 4.5 months) - more people means more meeting to keep everyone up to date - I don't feel like there are real issues with disroot services ( - selling advertising is what made google remove its *don't be evil* credo - just because you pay people doesn't mean the service is good - I could continue for hours

muppeth commented

2026-07-09 08:31:26 +02:00

Owner

@DrJ I see you are totally not geting the point of why disroot exists and what we are doing and why. We are not here to make profit nor to sell ads. Read our banner/motto on the main page: "No tracking, no ads, no profiling, no data mining!" I appreciate the "super easy few steps solution to fix all problems" but I will rather stick to the essence of your problem and try to solve it. And the deterioration analysis whether we are capable and how bad things are and what to do to solve it if you don't mind I would keep it out of this thread and let us internally decide upon.

I submit that disroot's deterioration this year is the direct result of the fact that the same 3 guys

And I submit that it's due to hiccups which were results of very important though potentially breaking changes we have undergone this year (and still do) to exactly end up with better internals and better functioning platform. Things aren't so binary as you paint it to be. You want to help out, perhaps consider donating. As an economist I'm sure you could spare few bucks so that others can benefit the free services.

@DrJ I see you are totally not geting the point of why disroot exists and what we are doing and why. We are not here to make profit nor to sell ads. Read our banner/motto on the main page: `"No tracking, no ads, no profiling, no data mining!"` I appreciate the "super easy few steps solution to fix all problems" but I will rather stick to the essence of your problem and try to solve it. And the deterioration analysis whether we are capable and how bad things are and what to do to solve it if you don't mind I would keep it out of this thread and let us internally decide upon. > I submit that disroot's deterioration this year is the direct result of the fact that the same 3 guys And I submit that it's due to hiccups which were results of very important though potentially breaking changes we have undergone this year (and still do) to exactly end up with better internals and better functioning platform. Things aren't so binary as you paint it to be. You want to help out, perhaps consider donating. As an economist I'm sure you could spare few bucks so that others can benefit the free services.

DrJ commented

2026-07-10 15:10:20 +02:00

Author

I have had enough of this.

I have not found the comments here helpful.

One person who doesn't use the mail service telling me that the mail service is good enough. Another one telling me, in answer to servers that queue mail that has been delivered, that servers know to queue mail that has not been delivered, so it all works very well. And the service is free so we cannot complain if it doesn't work. And asserting, without a shred of evidence, let alone suggesting who is doing this, that someone is paying for bad reviews of disroot on other sites. And suggesting that more engineers - needed to solve programming problems - are a security risk and are not necessary because programming problems have a gestation period which more engineers will not reduce.

I have done more than my duty by telling you the problems you have and why people will not continue to use a service like this just because it is free. Nor is it a solution to beg for donations. You set up a free service with a volunteer staff of 3 and not a penny to pay anyone - and when it goes awry it is pathetic to beg people to pay for it. So it's your problem, you "internally decide upon it."

If you can't make it work, all we users can do is go to the many free sites which actually work. We have been, we are doing and we will do.

I have had enough of this. I have not found the comments here helpful. One person who doesn't use the mail service telling me that the mail service is good enough. Another one telling me, in answer to servers that queue mail that has been delivered, that servers know to queue mail that has not been delivered, so it all works very well. And the service is free so we cannot complain if it doesn't work. And asserting, without a shred of evidence, let alone suggesting who is doing this, that someone is paying for bad reviews of disroot on other sites. And suggesting that more engineers - needed to solve programming problems - are a security risk and are not necessary because programming problems have a gestation period which more engineers will not reduce. I have done more than my duty by telling you the problems you have and why people will not continue to use a service like this just because it is free. Nor is it a solution to beg for donations. You set up a free service with a volunteer staff of 3 and not a penny to pay anyone - and when it goes awry it is pathetic to beg people to pay for it. So it's your problem, you "internally decide upon it." If you can't make it work, all we users can do is go to the many free sites which actually work. We have been, we are doing and we will do.

👎 1 😆 1

DrJ closed this issue

2026-07-10 15:10:20 +02:00

muppeth commented

2026-07-10 21:44:06 +02:00

Owner

If you can't make it work

I wish I could make it work but you simply refuse to cooperate and help debug the issue. While you were busy ranting and giving advise on how we should run a project, I was waiting for your feedback via email for two days. Instead you just rage quit instead of providing the feedback I asked for that could help resolve the issue you're having as it most certainly self induced (aka PEBKAC) since it just works for pretty much everyone else. But I guess going into pointless discussion over one supoprt ticket you made and that was not properly answered is more important here.
One thing to make you realize what disroot is. It's mainly ethical, privacy focused, open source and user focused first, free as in beer second. If you are here just because it's free (your comment about selling ads indicates that), then I think you have a wrong choice in picking your provider.

> If you can't make it work I wish I could make it work but you simply refuse to cooperate and help debug the issue. While you were busy ranting and giving advise on how we should run a project, I was waiting for your feedback via email for two days. Instead you just rage quit instead of providing the feedback I asked for that could help resolve the issue you're having as it most certainly self induced (aka PEBKAC) since it just works for pretty much everyone else. But I guess going into pointless discussion over one supoprt ticket you made and that was not properly answered is more important here. One thing to make you realize what disroot is. It's mainly ethical, privacy focused, open source and user focused first, free as in beer second. If you are here just because it's free (your comment about selling ads indicates that), then I think you have a wrong choice in picking your provider.

azalty commented

2026-07-10 21:59:31 +02:00

I support ranting, and I get that it's frustrating to encounter these sorts of problems, but yea Disroot is really not your enemy. It's a not a for profit project, and that changes everything. Frankly, I haven't found projects similar to Disroot (plus mail hosting is a pain to configure, and to moderate due to massive abuse). Good luck with finding a service that suits you @DrJ ! I know I struggle to.

Overall good answers from the staff but yea still kinda aggressive or evasive answers. @DrJ clearly cares about disroot (although maybe they don't understand the philosophy), else they wouldn't take this time to give their opinion and present solutions. But hey, I'm the kind of person who thinks people representing a project should always be fully transparent and never get angry (and always assume the best, not malice from user opinions), and I know not a lot of people agree, so yea... though I must admit, @DrJ seems to have a lot of bad faith here, and the tone is not... great.

What you are saying is that supply and demand have no relationship

It's less relevant for automated services like mail. The initial setup or fixing the whole infrastructure is more of a pain, but as long as you have prepared something good, the work to do between 1000 users to 2000 users isn't 2x more. In that sense, getting a bit more users, and thus proportionally more donations might be a good call, to a certain point.

I support ranting, and I get that it's frustrating to encounter these sorts of problems, but yea Disroot is really not your enemy. It's a not a for profit project, and that changes everything. Frankly, I haven't found projects similar to Disroot (plus mail hosting is a pain to configure, and to moderate due to massive abuse). Good luck with finding a service that suits you @DrJ ! I know I struggle to. Overall good answers from the staff but yea still kinda aggressive or evasive answers. @DrJ clearly cares about disroot (although maybe they don't understand the philosophy), else they wouldn't take this time to give their opinion and present solutions. But hey, I'm the kind of person who thinks people representing a project should always be fully transparent and never get angry (and always assume the best, not malice from user opinions), and I know not a lot of people agree, so yea... though I must admit, @DrJ seems to have a lot of bad faith here, and the tone is not... great. > What you are saying is that supply and demand have no relationship It's less relevant for automated services like mail. The initial setup or fixing the whole infrastructure is more of a pain, but as long as you have prepared something good, the work to do between 1000 users to 2000 users isn't 2x more. In that sense, getting a bit more users, and thus proportionally more donations might be a good call, to a certain point.

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