This guide explores and documents efforts to form free, open source alternatives to corporate cloud infrastructures, especially through cooperative business models.
Cooperative clouds
- CoBox – “a distributed, encrypted, offline-enabled data hosting cloud platform”
- Collective Tools – Cloud-based, free/open collaboration tools
- CommonsCloud – “Cooperative, collaborative and decentralised cloud, alternative to the proprietary software platforms”
- Dark Peak Data Co-operative – “Open-source software, hosted for your convenience, with democratic accountability”
- Offerings: web hosting, RSS, git
- Drutopia – A free-software project and hosting service for easy web development with Drupal
- fairapps – “communication solutions on a fair basis for creative teams and initiatives” run by the cooperative fairkom
- HCoop – “an Internet hosting service and community, run democratically as a USA 501(c)(12) non-profit corporation”
- Offerings: OpenAFS, web hosting, email, mailing lists, git, MoinMoin wiki, Jabber
- IO Cooperative – “provides its members with technology infrastructure to sustain and enhance their professional, academic, and personal lives”
- May First Movement Technology
– “engages in building movements by advancing the strategic use and collective control of technology for local struggles, global transformation, and emancipation without borders”
- Offerings: email, web hosting, webmail, Jitsi, ownCloud, GNU Social, OpenID, XMPP (Jabber)
- Meet.coop (The Online Meeting Co-operative) – “A co-operative, open source, meeting and conferencing platform, powered by BigBlueButton.”
- Open Web Systems - "secure, open source email & personal Nextcloud Hub accounts"
- Servers.coop - "an algorithm for co-operation: a technical, governance, and cost-sharing stack which radically reduces the cost and complexity of setting up a server hosting provider"
- • Social.coop – “a coop-run corner of the fediverse, spearheading a cooperative and transparent approach to operating our social platforms”
- WebArchitects – “a Sheffield based, small and friendly, multi-stakeholder co-operative which provides ethical and green, web hosting, virtual servers and GNU/Linux sysadmin support services”
- WebHosting.coop – “become a
member of our democratic and socially ran web hosting cooperative
association and experience the incredible benefits of transparent,
honest, and reliable service”
Commons clouds
• apps.opened.ca – Canadian higher ed cloud using Sandstorm, managed by OpenETC
• Chatons – French network of commons clouds
• Disroot – “a platform providing
online services based on principles of freedom, privacy, federation and
decentralization,” an Amsterdam-based volunteer service
• eclips.is – “a free, lightweight platform where you can launch your (virtual) servers,” privacy focused
• Framasoft – “A network dedicated to globally promoting “free” and particularly free software.”
◦ Konrad Lischka, “How
a French association with 6 employees offers mainstream users free and
libre alternatives to Facebook Groups, Slack, Skype and the like” (February 26, 2017)
• The Good Cloud – NextCloud-based free and paid cloud service
• Riseup – “provides online communication tools for people and groups working on liberatory social change”
Open-app ecosystems