[kwlug disc.] Home e-mail server vs. freeshell.org?

[Unsolicited]

Some time ago, I ruminated over creating my own home e-mail server
host, to become ISP independent. Gmail, Yahoo, myrealbox, etc., are
what they are, and that isn't enough. I want to create/delete e-mail
accounts 'on the fly'. Preferably, to my own domain.

In response, John kindly noted the things to look at are
(approximately, YMMV, and different people prefer different pieces)
MailScanner, ClamAV and Spamassassin, let alone sendmail and
squirrelmail, procmail, and onwards.

Having seen Paul's use of sdf.lonestar.org, and poking away at it
myself, it has occurred to me this may be a better way for me, an
individual, to go. [Small businesses too, for that matter.] US$36
once, + US$20 annual, doesn't seem onerous. Especially at par.

The advantage being I can't snooker myself by shooting myself in the
foot somehow, and being down, or lost, for an indeterminate period of
time. If I knife or kill a myth box, that's inconvenient and
irritating. If I kill my e-mail, it's rather more than that.

Anyone have any downsides to doing this on freeshell? e.g.
Performance, Speed? Paul?

Are there other freeshell like facilities out there that would host my
own mail domain?

Or other ideas? e.g. Richard, you seem happy with how you're set up /
externally hosted. Who are you using?

Comments, suggestions?

Thanks.

-- Bill