Docs – Open source alternative to Notion or Outline (github.com)

Article summary

Docs is an open-source collaborative editor that allows teams to write, organize, and share knowledge in real-time. It is an alternative to tools like Notion or Google Docs, focusing on real-time collaboration, clean documents, and data ownership. The project is a joint initiative led by the French and German governments. Docs supports self-hosting and has a range of features, including rich-text editing, slash commands, and optional AI writing helpers.

Main themes

• Open-source collaboration
• Government-funded software
• Data ownership
• Self-hosting
• Alternative to proprietary tools
• Real-time collaboration

What commenters say

• Government-funded open-source projects can be a net positive for society, even if they don't push the state-of-the-art forward.
• Some argue that government-sponsored clones of popular products can stifle innovation and encourage reliance on foreign services.
• Others believe that government projects should focus on stable and 'good enough' solutions, rather than trying to be state-of-the-art.
• There is a concern that government projects may not be able to compete with private industry in terms of innovation and progress.
• The importance of data ownership and self-hosting is highlighted, with some arguing that it's essential for national security and digital sovereignty.
• Some commenters see government-funded open-source projects as a way to reduce reliance on foreign services and promote digital autonomy.
• The role of government in funding and developing software is debated, with some arguing that it's necessary for certain types of projects and others believing it's not an effective use of resources.
• The potential for government-funded open-source projects to lead to a loss of innovation and entrepreneurship in the private sector is also discussed.