<![CDATA[Heavy drama in the open-source world of...]]>Heavy drama in the open-source world of...

...Office Document Software.

Nextcloud, originally a fork of ownCloud, has launched Euro-Office, a fork of OnlyOffice (pissing off OnlyOffice). Collabora is weighing in and issuing comments against both OnlyOffice and Euro-Office while, itself, forking Collabora Office Desktop from the Document Foundation's LibreOffice. Document Foundation has now resumed LibreOffice Online which competes against Euro-Office and OnlyOffice.

(I think I've got all that right πŸ˜… Correct me if I haven't! πŸ˜‚)

❀️‍πŸ”₯❀️‍πŸ”₯❀️‍πŸ”₯ I unironically love this!!!! ❀️‍πŸ”₯❀️‍πŸ”₯❀️‍πŸ”₯

Document software may appear boring on its face, but Microsoft Office is a big reason why folks still stay with Microsoft OS and don't (can't...) move to Linux. MS Office 365 is often used as a bridge to allow folks to move to Linux while still using Microsoft products in the browser but that solution still keeps them tied to closed source solutions.

Development of Free and Open Sourced Software (FOSS) office products, both desktop apps and online web apps, is a core and key element to allowing FOSS solutions to thrive - both for individuals and organizations.

This level of drama and fighting is indicative of a lot of effort and attention being thrown into this arena. I'm confident over time it'll settle and different projects will merge back together or at the very least borrow and build upon each's efforts.

Read and get your fill of the drama here: https://www.theregister.com/2026/04/02/eurooffice_forks_onlyoffice/

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/topic/a503d113-b4b7-4765-8862-15b9912e51d7/heavy-drama-in-the-open-source-world-of...RSS for NodeSat, 04 Apr 2026 13:03:35 GMTFri, 03 Apr 2026 09:46:01 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Sat, 04 Apr 2026 08:31:29 GMT]]>@tinker competition is good. Also, the adversary comments means the developers do not understand open source: the system is working as it should, and in open source collaboration is the best way to keep your stronghold.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.social/users/iznogoud/statuses/116345503025928281https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.social/users/iznogoud/statuses/116345503025928281Sat, 04 Apr 2026 08:31:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:35:08 GMT]]>@tuxwise @tinker The LibreOffice Online code has not been hidden; if there had been anyone that really wanted to start working on that branch again, they could just have grabbed the repo and started doing something with it. That hasn’t happened. At least not publicly. Instead, all development has been going on in Collabora Online. Which by now is hugely improved since it was ”forked”.

(Besides, the repo in question is still read-only. I have obviously no knowledge how Document Foundation plans to actually proceed with it. They are not very open about it.)

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mementomori.social/users/tml/statuses/116344573706156579https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mementomori.social/users/tml/statuses/116344573706156579Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:35:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:24:02 GMT]]>@Phosphenes @tinker Not at all. Completely different codebase and history.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mementomori.social/users/tml/statuses/116344530072943359https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mementomori.social/users/tml/statuses/116344530072943359Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:24:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Sat, 04 Apr 2026 03:38:23 GMT]]>@bardmoss@autistics.life said in Heavy drama in the open-source world of...:

The part you missed

It's in Liam Proven's article, which the opening post encourages us to read.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/107https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/107Sat, 04 Apr 2026 03:38:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Sat, 04 Apr 2026 03:36:01 GMT]]>Not in that tree, as far as I can tell.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OnlyOffice

Via Onlyoffice version 7.2 released, download for free β€’ The Register (2022):

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/106https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/106Sat, 04 Apr 2026 03:36:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Sat, 04 Apr 2026 03:24:07 GMT]]>GitHub versus Codeberg

I love Codeberg, however the absence of a GUI to sync a fork is quite show-stopping:

211aefdf-a620-4fb9-9994-9bb2a71ab787-image.jpeg

– since I no longer attempt to remember Git stuff.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/105https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/105Sat, 04 Apr 2026 03:24:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:18:15 GMT]]>@juliaclement
I've heard good things of Codeberg

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/bigolewannabe/statuses/116343563586901548https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/bigolewannabe/statuses/116343563586901548Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:18:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:51:01 GMT]]>@tinker I read a couple of blog posts from OnlyOffice and found them quite entertaining.

Basically they say that Euro Office MUST keep the OnlyOffice branding and logos. But those brands are basically trademarks, hence Euro Office would be in a violation of said marks in the latter case.

Moreover, having unofficial forks with the original branding could lead to confusion.

I mean, there is a reason why Linux Mint does NOT use Ubuntu’s trademarks.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.social/users/lazza/statuses/116343220548788504https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.social/users/lazza/statuses/116343220548788504Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:51:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:42:45 GMT]]>@tinker @tml

This is the first I've ever heard of OnlyOffice. Is it part of the LibreOffice/OpenOffice family tree?

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://glasgow.social/users/Phosphenes/statuses/116342952127949118https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://glasgow.social/users/Phosphenes/statuses/116342952127949118Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:42:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:23:41 GMT]]>@artfulmodder - I would not be surprised if that was intentional... and I really don't want to go through the hassle of confirming it 😬

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/tinker/statuses/116342877131388560https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/tinker/statuses/116342877131388560Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:23:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:09:14 GMT]]>@tinker The world is big enough for everyone to have a slice and to make profit, they can all only benefit from working with each other. The important part is that dependency on MS Office is reduced or entirely eliminated.]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://pleroma.debian.social/objects/18b35257-d0e8-40ec-bbf8-90f93533415ehttps://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://pleroma.debian.social/objects/18b35257-d0e8-40ec-bbf8-90f93533415eFri, 03 Apr 2026 21:09:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:46:10 GMT]]>@tinker
The part you missed is that The Document Foundation kicked out the entire Collabora team, including seven of the top 10 contributors to LibreOffice. Before that happened, Collabora was doing nothing of the sort.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://autistics.life/users/bardmoss/statuses/116342729617486245https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://autistics.life/users/bardmoss/statuses/116342729617486245Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:46:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:30:45 GMT]]>@tinker @Gina
The answer is neither. Try Moksha.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://autistics.life/users/bardmoss/statuses/116342669020605087https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://autistics.life/users/bardmoss/statuses/116342669020605087Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:30:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:03:04 GMT]]>@bigolewannabe Which means I can't call my OnlyOffice fork "Sucks". I have to name it "OnlyOffice Sucks"

OK, what's the best free Git hosting now that Github has gone over to the dark side?

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.nz/users/juliaclement/statuses/116342560143681174https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.nz/users/juliaclement/statuses/116342560143681174Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:03:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 19:00:59 GMT]]>@Gina @tautology @rickf @tinker With FOSS it often seems if you look away for a bit they will have doubled when you look back again ^^

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.social/users/CliffsEsport/statuses/116342316011365950https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.social/users/CliffsEsport/statuses/116342316011365950Fri, 03 Apr 2026 19:00:59 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:02:41 GMT]]>Discussion of the blog post:

Only a handful of comments in Hacker News above, one of them usefully links to an earlier discussion of The New Collabora Office for Desktop.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/92https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/92Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:02:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:26:33 GMT]]>@tinker
One element that's interesting is that OnlyOffice is licensed using the AGPL which includes a "can't remove the branding" section long with saying nobody has permission to use their branding as if that's somehow a judo throw to prevent any forks. And that's why they're mad.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/bigolewannabe/statuses/116341944710667053https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/bigolewannabe/statuses/116341944710667053Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:26:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:59:37 GMT]]>@maddin That's good to know! I didn't see a link to the app store on the main download page so I figured it wasn't an option. Thank you!

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://indieweb.social/users/tarabara/statuses/116341838814112440https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://indieweb.social/users/tarabara/statuses/116341838814112440Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:59:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:51:59 GMT]]>@tinker
That is just saying "we want your donations" (for something we just actively alienated all past contributors and expertise, but dont tell anyone).
@tml

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://social.tchncs.de/ap/users/116082355106939231/statuses/116341808760565235https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://social.tchncs.de/ap/users/116082355106939231/statuses/116341808760565235Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:51:59 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:44:48 GMT]]>@musevg @tinker

Sure it was the go-to open-source wordprocessor until it came under the purview of Oracle, then it was decided it had to die.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.social/users/hnapel/statuses/116341780565470649https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.social/users/hnapel/statuses/116341780565470649Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:44:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:40:19 GMT]]>@tinker

I just hope LibreOffice wins as much as I liked BluRay to win, can Sony put it on the next Playstation? That may help. We all know Betamax should have won but it didn't, don't let LibreOffice get Betamaxed.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.social/users/hnapel/statuses/116341762910194402https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.social/users/hnapel/statuses/116341762910194402Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:40:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:34:38 GMT]]>@tinker

Shared competition.

They all produce documents that can be opened by each other. Monopolizing in the opposite of FOSS. Consider the Foss response to Windows.

There are more distributions of linux than there are users of linux.

This is a good thing. Lock-in, monopoly, walled garden, are flaws. All are attempted control, are hidden, are intrinsically for "someone other than you"

It means anyone with knowledge is able to assist. That is economic freedom designed into FOSS.

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mstdn.social/users/kevinrns/statuses/116341740558010868https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mstdn.social/users/kevinrns/statuses/116341740558010868Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:34:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:15:18 GMT]]>
@tinker]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://morph.oksocial.net/objects/df90845b-a177-4fe0-b5c4-d1b054c3d434https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://morph.oksocial.net/objects/df90845b-a177-4fe0-b5c4-d1b054c3d434Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:15:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Heavy drama in the open-source world of... on Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:09:07 GMT]]>@raymaccarthy @tinker That wanted to be my message, between the lines

]]>https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.gamedev.place/ap/users/116092650648397225/statuses/116341640230511960https://billboard.bsd.cafe/post/https://mastodon.gamedev.place/ap/users/116092650648397225/statuses/116341640230511960Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:09:07 GMT