
Automattic open sources Simplenote - onko
https://simplenote.com/2016/08/11/ios-android-and-macos-apps-now-open-source/
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hellcow
Simplenote was my favorite note taking app until it lost notes of mine a few
years back.

I decided to give them another chance recently--hoping that these syncing
issues had been cleared up--and Simplenote lost even more notes. It hasn't
been dependable at all in my experience, and that's a shame because I love the
interface and its focus on simplicity.

I'm excited that parts of it are going open-source. Hopefully the server will
be made open so some of these core issues can be addressed.

~~~
devindotcom
Just as a counter data point, I've never lost a note and it's been very
dependable for me for at least 5 years or so. Still makes me nervous though
now and then.

But if you're worried about it you can set it up so that it keeps a local copy
of your note library as well, just in case.

~~~
lylejohnson
"Ditto". Longtime user (of the iOS app) and have never lost a note that I can
recall.

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stephenr
The client apps are open source. Without the server side component that's
meaningless to me.

~~~
jmnicolas
How are they supposed to make money if anybody can build the same back-end and
steal their customers ?

~~~
_Codemonkeyism
I was using SimpleNote for free, I wasn't aware of a paid plan and couldn't
find one one the website.

~~~
kwonye
No paid tier. Completely free

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ubercow
I hope this means that an actual developer API is coming soon.

Their developer page[1] still says "The current version of the Simperium API
does not allow for 3rd party development of Simplenote apps at this time."

I'd love to have something like "Append to a Note" in IFTTT that behaves like
the "Append to text file in Dropbox".

1: [https://simplenote.com/developers/](https://simplenote.com/developers/)

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cocktailpeanuts
Unless I misunderstand, this looks pretty much one-way street for me. What's
in it for developers? The server's not open source, all this is is just a
wrapper around their proprietary api.

~~~
beaucollins
The API is "open", the source code for the server running the simperium.com
syncing service is not.

As far as I know, open sourcing the server is something Simperium wishes to do
when it's feasible.

Simperium Syncing Protocol: [https://github.com/Simperium/simperium-
protocol/blob/master/...](https://github.com/Simperium/simperium-
protocol/blob/master/SYNCING.md)

~~~
cocktailpeanuts
I understand that, but I am talking about _now_. There's no point (other than
marketing and free labor purposes, which is what I'm criticizing) in open
sourcing their client app when the server is not open source. What purpose
does it serve? I mean, how do you expect to use this code other than hooking
up to Simplenote?

I remember this company called Layer, they "open sourced" their "messaging UI
framework", and I first thought it was something like JSQMessageViewController
where you can just take the library and really build your own chat app, but
turns out it's just a shell to connect to their layer.com server. Again,
what's the point? I can't help but wonder what's going on in these people's
minds when I think of all the time they would have taken to clean up code and
prepare to announce their open source.

~~~
Retra
Someone might feel inclined to implement their own server that is compatible
with the client.

~~~
beaucollins
Simperium Server: [https://github.com/beaucollins/node-simperium-
server](https://github.com/beaucollins/node-simperium-server) It's in the
proof-of-concept stage so it doesn't persist the data on the server.

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chmars
I hope that is not bad news, i.e., I ope that open sourcing the Simplenote
client does not means less love from Automattic for the software. Search in
the Mac version for example has had issues for a long time …

~~~
kwonye
Nope! We just wanted to open source it, no alternative agenda here.

~~~
chmars
Thanks, that is very reassuring! :)

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ksec
Would be nice if the Landing page actually include some screen shots, so i
know what sort of App it is, instead of describing it with words and I have to
dig all the info up in the blog section.

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Human_USB
I really wish it had an offline mode. This would make an kick-ass NVALT
replacement.

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beaucollins
What exactly do you mean by offline mode? No syncing to "the cloud" at all?

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im_dario
I undestand "offline mode" as to be able to edit a note without connection and
sync later.

I use (and pay) Evernote because of this. You can edit and create notes while
disconnected.

~~~
beaucollins
Simplenote does this.

These are exactly the features Simperium provides.

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MBCook
Does anyone else thing the company is Automatic (the bluetooth car dongle)
every time they see this company's name?

~~~
richrad
The opposite for me – Automattic's been around so long I thought calling the
car dongle "Automatic" was a pretty bad call.

