It's not impossible, many people I know and myself successfully self host their email. Yes it's not trivial, and yes the ip reputation can be annoying to deal with (but it's possible to cycle to another server to get another ip), but apart from that, if following the best practices (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, proper setup of the mailserver) once it's set up it can run for years without issue.

To set things straight, I'm not saying that it is easy, but it's also not impossible, and only giving up will further contribute to centralized email provider monoculture.

Not for everyone, but for those who can, I feel they should.

Also heard it a lot from Chinese speakers.

Knoppix, on a live CD. Then shorty after, Aurox Linux, distributed as a number of CD with a magazine. Around 2004-2005. Then Mandriva.

Indeed. I've seen the rate of app updates pick up recently, and I feel it's noticeably smoother than a couple weeks ago. Great effort is being done and I'm grateful towards the devs for that.