Hills and valleys: My Journey Away from Big Tech

I will take you on my adventure to switch from Big Tech software to more reliable, European or open-source alternatives. I share my experience with you frankly: successes, setbacks and challenges. Along the way I encounter all kinds of obstacles, such as hardware that does not work, services that cost money and incomprehension from people around me. I will share everything with you so that you can learn and enjoy this journey. Come with me!

NextCloud is not Microsoft

The switch: simpler said than done

Since I decided to give up my Office 365 (now Microsoft 365) and replace it with alternative services, my life hasn't gotten any easier. The transition started smoothly: my provider was replaced by Halvar.io without any problems. My email functionality was transferred to a business account at Proton Mail. That required some research, but thanks to the Proton Mail Bridge and Mozilla Thunderbird, I now feel like I have more functionality than before.

The start is good!

NextCloud as an alternative

For file storage, file sharing and calendars, I use NextCloud, offered by one of the four providers known in the Netherlands. And that's where the pain started. Everything doesn't work the way it should. But unlike Microsoft, I can now directly address my SaaS provider. That sounds like an advantage, but the practice turns out to be more unruly.

OK, I'm not afraid of bumps.

Ticket 1: file synchronization

My first major problem arose when file synchronization failed on large files. I opened a support ticket and got a quick response. After that, it remained quiet. In the end, the problem did not lie with the provider, but I had to figure that out myself. However, a response from the support department had significantly improved the experience.

Support is just as important as the product.

Ticket 2: the upgrade: a failed transaction

To give my partner in our startup, Moreno, access to our shared agenda, I had to upgrade to a paid subscription. This proved problematic: Although my credit card was debited, the upgrade was not carried out correctly. After several emails and a second support ticket, nothing happened. In the meantime, I discovered that I couldn't change my profile. My phone number was German (+49), and it was not possible to change it to Dutch (+31).

Meanwhile, my credit card was enthusiastically debited

Ticket 3: escalation and finally an answer

Frustrated, I opened a third ticket, addressed to the sales department. In the end, I sent a kind but urgent message: Will you please communicate and solve the problems? Can anyone tell me if my expectations are realistic? Maybe I want something you can't offer.

Suddenly there was an answer to my second ticket: Everything is solved! You now have 256GB of storage and your partner can manage the calendar. The pride shone from it. Unfortunately, nothing was solved. My profile problem persisted, I couldn't create a user for Moreno, and my subscription was still on the wrong tier. I gave them an ultimatum: Tuesday 14:00. If nothing is resolved, I will either switch to another provider, or host NextCloud myself.

Whether you appeal to support or sales, Vadims will answer you. In the evening hours...

Microsoft vs. Europe: a long way to go

At Microsoft, I probably would have just created a user for Moreno and everything would have gone well right away. That's the big difference between a mature product and an open source solution with varying support. The dream of a European alternative to Microsoft is beautiful, but we still have a long way to go before it becomes a reality.

Microsoft offers the better experience, there is nothing against that yet.

A Necessary Journey

Although the road is long, this is a journey we have to make. We cannot remain dependent on a few big American tech companies that dominate our data and digital infrastructure. I am determined to help other parties in their transition to European alternatives that support European social democratic values. Do you want or can you help me with that? Sign up!

Progress begins with a first step, no matter how long the road is.