Re: Ubuntu 16.04 server --- Contacting host: elpa.gnu.org:80 when package-refresh-contents

[Stefan Monnier]

> The upcoming Emacs 26 should be much better in this regards, as it
> uses https by default for elpa downloads.  Some of the advice in that
> blog entry is still useful though.

http vs https is largely irrelevant when downloading from elpa.gnu.org
since those packages come with a PGP signature which Emacs can check
(and does check, assuming you have PGP installed).

IIRC this has been true since Emacs-25.


        Stefan