On that topic, is there an alternative for a mail client + calendar for Win 11 that doesn’t look and feel like a Windows 95 exe named Thunderbird?

I'm surprised that the developer of a privacy-focused product would accuse its competitor of not being good for privacy.

Unlike proton mail , microsoft offers basic IMAP POP functionality of its desktop app for free, Maybe proton should offer the same "essential" email functionality for free before criticizing Microsoft. there are many ways to monetize a service without rendering the free version legless.

Of course it is, it doesn't support pop3, only IMAP through their server

PROTON WORKS WITH THE FEDS PROTON WORKS WITH THE FEDS PROTON WORKS WITH THE FEDS PROTON WORKS WITH THE FEDS ProtonMail Gives Up Logs on User, Then Scrubs Website of No IP Logging Claims it gave out thousands of ip adresses over the years

Email is outdated. I hate that it's required for anything, no one uses it for anything other than a high speed fax machine for boring business communique