No One Cares About Open-Source, Until …  ## Metadata - Author: [[cryptpad.org]] - Full Title: No One Cares About Open-Source, Until … - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: - SkiffAcquisition - PrivacyTools - OpenSource Author: Skiff Announcement Source: Skiff.com, CryptPad Blog Reference: date created: 2024-09-10 17:00 --- # Title: The Skiff-Notion Acquisition and What it Means for Users ## Table of Contents: - [Summary](#summary) - [Main Content](#main-content) - [Skiff’s Acquisition by Notion](#skiffs-acquisition-by-notion) - [Impact on Users](#impact-on-users) - [Open-Source and Ownership Reflections](#open-source-and-ownership-reflections) - [Comparison with CryptPad](#comparison-with-cryptpad) - [Conclusion](#conclusion) - [Notes](#notes) - [References](#references) - [Paraphrase](#paraphrase) - [Newsletter](#newsletter) - [Action Items](#action-items) - [Hypotheses](#hypotheses) - [Methodology](#methodology) - [Questions](#questions) - [Future Research](#future-research) - [Implications](#implications) - [Logical Validity](#logical-validity) - [Conclusion](#conclusion) ### References: - Skiff.com - CryptPad Blog, "Reflections on Skiff Acquisition" ## 📝 Summary: Skiff, an encrypted productivity suite, has been acquired by Notion, leading to the sunset of its products within six months. Skiff’s acquisition is a classic example of the limitations of closed-source models, even if the software is labeled "open-source." This event emphasizes the importance of ownership and the value of genuinely open-source tools like CryptPad, which are unaffected by acquisitions and provide more control to users. ## 📖 Main Content: ### Skiff’s Acquisition by Notion In a recent development, Skiff, a privacy-focused productivity suite, was acquired by Notion. Skiff’s suite of tools, including email, documents, and calendars, will no longer be available after six months. The transition was framed as an opportunity to "accelerate their mission," though this primarily served investor interests, as Skiff received $14.2 million in funding. ### Impact on Users The immediate effect for users is that they must migrate their data elsewhere within six months. Skiff’s open-source claim is also under scrutiny, as only the front-end was partially open-source, while the back-end was never available for self-hosting. Users are left with little recourse but to find alternative platforms. ### Open-Source and Ownership Reflections The closure of Skiff raises important questions about the true meaning of open-source. While it was labeled as open-source, the lack of full transparency and the inability to self-host shows how the term can be misleading. In contrast, fully open-source tools like CryptPad demonstrate that software not tied to investor-driven returns can continue to serve users even if its core development team ceases operations. ### Comparison with CryptPad Unlike Skiff, CryptPad is fully open-source, with no reliance on venture capital or investors. If CryptPad’s developers stopped working tomorrow, hundreds of instances would remain operational due to its open license. This difference highlights the value of truly open-source software, where users retain control and ownership of the tools they depend on. ### Conclusion The acquisition of Skiff by Notion is a reminder to consider the ownership structure of the tools we use. While Skiff’s tools will disappear, users of open-source alternatives like CryptPad retain full control and the ability to continue development, making them a more sustainable choice in the long run. ## 🗒️ Notes: - Skiff has been acquired by Notion; its products will sunset in six months. - Skiff’s back-end was never fully open-source, preventing self-hosting by users. - CryptPad, by contrast, is fully open-source and not reliant on venture capital. - Users should reflect on the ownership of their tools, prioritizing genuine open-source alternatives. ## 📖 References: - Skiff.com announcement - CryptPad Blog ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1. **Original**: "For the users however, there will not be much of value left behind. For obvious privacy reasons their data will not be handed to Notion automatically so they are left with a 6 months to move their data elsewhere by themselves." **Paraphrased**: "Users will have little to salvage, as their data will not be transferred to Notion for privacy reasons. Instead, they must relocate their data independently within the next six months." 2. **Original**: "While Skiff was presented as open-source, the back-end never was so it was not possible to self-host it. In addition, the type of license used (CC-BY-NC-SA) is meant for artworks and more geared towards showing the code than making the service operable by others." **Paraphrased**: "Though Skiff claimed to be open-source, the back-end remained proprietary, preventing users from hosting it themselves. The license (CC-BY-NC-SA) was more suited for artistic works, limiting the usability of the service’s code." ## 📰 Newsletter: 🚨 **Big News in Privacy Tools!** Skiff, the popular encrypted productivity suite, has been acquired by Notion. With Skiff’s services set to sunset in six months, users are left scrambling to find alternatives. This acquisition sheds light on the limitations of "open-source" tools that aren’t truly open. If you're considering more sustainable alternatives, CryptPad offers a fully open-source solution that ensures users retain control, even if the original developers stop working. Learn more about this transition and why ownership matters for your tools. Full details: [Skiff Acquisition](https://skiff.com). ## ✅ Action Items: - Evaluate current use of encrypted tools and assess the need for migration from Skiff. - Explore fully open-source alternatives like CryptPad, which offer self-hosting and long-term sustainability. - Consider the ownership structure of tools used for privacy, favoring platforms that provide more user control. ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - **Hypothesis 1**: Users of closed-source platforms are more likely to face service disruptions due to acquisitions compared to users of fully open-source platforms. - **Hypothesis 2**: Tools labeled "open-source" but not fully open, like Skiff, contribute to confusion and dissatisfaction among privacy-conscious users. ### 📊 Methodology: - **Data Collection**: Survey users from Skiff and other "open-source" tools to understand their expectations of transparency and control. - **Analysis**: Compare user satisfaction between platforms like Skiff and fully open-source alternatives like CryptPad. ### ❓ Questions: - How does the acquisition of Skiff affect trust in privacy-focused platforms? - Why do users often mistake partial open-source claims for full transparency and control? - What makes fully open-source alternatives more resilient in the face of market disruptions? ### 🔮 Future Research: - Study the long-term sustainability of open-source projects compared to VC-funded privacy tools. - Investigate the impact of acquisitions on user trust and migration patterns in the privacy tools sector. ### 💡 Implications: The acquisition of Skiff underscores the need for users to prioritize fully open-source tools if they value long-term control and transparency. This event may prompt more individuals to shift towards self-hosted and open-source platforms, influencing the future landscape of privacy software. ### ✅ Logical Validity: - **Sound Inductive Reasoning**: The article effectively uses the example of Skiff’s acquisition to highlight the broader risk of relying on VC-backed platforms, strengthening the argument for open-source alternatives. - **Balanced View**: While acknowledging that CryptPad isn’t a direct replacement for all of Skiff’s features, the article emphasizes the long-term value of fully open-source tools. ## 🎯 Conclusion: The Skiff acquisition serves as a critical reminder to reflect on the ownership and sustainability of the tools we use. Open-source alternatives like CryptPad provide greater user control and long-term security, making them a more dependable choice in today’s rapidly shifting market. - Document Tags: [[open source]] - Summary: Skiff, an end-to-end encrypted productivity suite, has been acquired by Notion, leading to the "sunset" of its suite of products in 6 months. Some elements such as community Discord chat and open-source code repositories were immediately shut down. The acquisition was driven by the goal of maximizing returns for Venture Capital investors, leaving users with the task of migrating their data elsewhere within the next 6 months. This episode highlights the importance of distinguishing between empty gestures and actual commons in the open-source community, with Skiff being presented as open-source but lacking self-hosting capabilities. In comparison, CryptPad is fully open-source and allows for continued improvement and maintenance by users. - URL: https://blog.cryptpad.org/2024/02/15/no-one-cares-intil/ If you follow privacy news, you have [probably heard](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/encrypted-email-service-skiff-gets-acquired-will-shut-down-in-six-months/) that Skiff, an end-to-end encrypted productivity suite, announced that it has been acquired by Notion. Its suite of products (email, documents, contacts, calendar) will “sunset” in 6 months time. Some other elements such as community Discord chat and open-source code repositories were [unceremoniously shut down with immediate effect](https://blog.notesnook.com/the-skiff-privacy-fiasco/). There have been plenty of posts and takes already, so we will not elaborate too much further. But we also could not resist chiming in since [Skiff was compared with CryptPad in the past](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4MpHf4XOMw). While this is a really unfortunate moment for Skiff users, it is by no means a surprise. > We’re extremely excited to accelerate our mission by joining forces with Notion’s world-class team. > [Skiff website](https://skiff.com/data-migration) > > The mission here was to maximise returns for the Venture Capital investors that gave Skiff [$14.2 million](https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/09/notion-acquires-privacy-focused-productivity-platform-skiff/). The Skiff founders have “accelerated” and the mission is complete, we wish them well for it. For the users however, there will not be much of value left behind. For obvious privacy reasons their data will not be handed to Notion automatically so they are left with a 6 months to move their data elsewhere by themselves. Although talking about open-source is sure to get you yawns at dinner parties, this episode really illustrates that it can mean anything from empty gesturing to an actual commons that people can use and build upon. While Skiff was presented as open-source, the back-end never was so it was not possible to self-host it. In addition, the type of license used ([CC-BY-NC-SA](https://github.com/skiff-org/skiff-apps/blob/main/LICENSE)) is meant for artworks and more geared towards showing the code than making the service operable by others. In comparison to Skiff, CryptPad is missing a few features such as email or NFT storage. However it is also not tied to any investor's returns, and importantly is *fully* open-source. If the team stopped working on it tomorrow, the hundreds of third-party CryptPad instances would continue running freely and people would continue to have the right to improve and maintain the code. Whether it's a technical outage or an acquisition like Skiff's, we don't think it's good karma to prey on the disgruntled users of our competition. We're also aware that CryptPad is not ready to serve all of the same use-cases as Skiff. We wish people well in finding new solutions that work for them. We also would like for this moment to encourage everyone to reflect on the ownership structure of the tools that they rely on, and perhaps to favour building some genuine commons rather than products that can simply vanish because of conflicting interests., No One Cares About Open-Source, Until …, cryptpad.org, 01hpywd1th4c1m38pm2ec81ash.