Collabora Document Limitation by Purpose (10Docs/20Connections)

#1

hi,

I am currently working on a collabora installation on a local nc machine, and I came to the following message:

This development build is limited to 10 documents, and 20 connections - to avoid the impression that it is suitable for deployment in large enterprises. To find out more about deploy ing and scaling Collabora Online Development Edition (CODE) checkout:
https://www.collaboraoffice.com/code/.

As you advertise collabora as a big collaboration tool, it will sooner or later happen, that other users will get that message too, and they will not be pleased about that.

So either you communicate this in the front page, or talk to the collabora devs to remove this.

If it sounds rude from myself, I am sorry, but I think that might be an issue, which may cause a problem with your reputation in general.

I don’t need more than 10 docs open in parallel or more than 20 connections, but others might.

Additional to that it came into my mind, if you attach several nc-instances to one image, you will get to this limit far earlier.

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#2

https://nextcloud.com/collaboraonline/

Didn’t see any remarks on limitations. Can you install a free unlimited version or do you need business support? If there are limits we should document that @jospoortvliet

#3

Yeah, this limitation is in there, it is exactly as the text says: “to avoid the impression that it is suitable for deployment in large enterprises.”

I would rather not talk about the specifics of this, to be honest, to avoid a huge, theoretical bikeshedding about how reasonable the limitation is - nobody has bumped into it from what I can tell so I would claim that reality has shown that the chosen numbers are entirely reasonable. But you can argue this forever…

But I can do a better job telling people to contact us for a more scalable solution if they wish to use it in an enterprise setting. We say it, but not enough, so - that I will do. Thanks for pointing it out!

#4

with regards to ‘can you install a free unlimited version’ - sure, you can, compile it from the source :wink:

The image Collabora provides has this limitation for the reasons mentioned. It wasn’t my decision or choice, but I think it is entirely fair and their right, they provide this for free and have a right to try and ensure potential customers don’t try and run a version which isn’t designed for scalability. That can harm their reputation…

#5

The only issue with the part of the message “to avoid the impression that it is suitable for deployment in large enterprises.” I thought is, that you get to see this after you deployed the software and mostly run for a while.
So I wanted to tell you about that, to avoid a rage from anyone who got to this after a while.

HowTo: Install Collabora Online on Ubuntu 16.04. (without Docker!)
#6

Yep. I fully agree with dev0 on this.
Either it’s usable or not.
This way it’s unusable.
And this should be said so on the front page.
Can’t really understand why Nextcloud is pushing this when the app basically useless.
But promoting this ‘demo’ of an app as an online office solution is a no go to me.

#7

there is now a line in the FAQ:

Issue: Collabora Online doesn't handle my 500 users.
 This docker image is designed for limited numbers of users and open documents. If you need a more scalable solution, consider a support subscription for a reliable, business-ready online office experience.

But I think it will blow up if you have 500 users, before you get to the limitation message :slight_smile:
I would reduce it to 20-50 Collaborausers or 100 NC-Users. That sounds more realistic.

#8

You are right. I’ll change it to something like that. Change should be live in about half an hour :wink:

#9

Hi,

I saw the same problem on an self-made installation with the docker image for a company I’m working with and we’re all a bit upset by what I’m reading here. If I understand the answer to « why », I don’t like the communication around and the <ay you did it, sorry :confused:. This solution is working well with 10 docs open in parallel or more than 20 connections so… I don’t really understand.

I now need to find solutions.
Is there a way to remove this message or change limitations number?
Can someone confirm this limitation is only in the docker version?

Thanks.

#10

I also search for way to disable this limit, it is up to us to decide is it OK or not to run on more then 20 users. At end this just cause more expenses without any specific need.

#11

Looks like compiling it by yourself should work:

#12

Yes, that is basically OK.
But: This should be openly communicated BEFORE people try to install this.
There is no word on such a limitation on the Nextcloud website.
There it’s all just ‘this is our answer to Office 365’.
Which it obviously isn’t.

And Collabora seems kind of wanting users to get hooked up and then sell them a hosted version.

#13

you are right @dev0 I’ve just made a test :

Capture d’écran 2017-01-30 à 19.09.33.png1279x326 28.2 KB

I still have RAM and CPU for having more connections or documents, but Collabora Code don’t want me to.

I’ll have to dive into the " Build LooL yourself" using github and a lot of disk space and compilation time… too bad.

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#14

Just a thought around this issue,

CODE is a test product, and the test experience was provided for both ownCloud and Nextcloud.
Hence the name CODE - Collabora Online Development Edition.

Collabora Online has a cost to pay the developers who write and maintain the very same code we are using, services and also make enough profit to pay their mortgage, food, whatever.
That’s not hard to figure it out.

FLOSS projects/companies also require real money to exist, the nice part on this side is that no one is selling ads on your server or secretly gathering personal information or even big chunks of data like other services do (yeah FB i’m looking at you).

If people is willing to give that away that easily, there it is Microsoft 365.
Oh snap! :scream: but that costs money too. :sweat_smile:

Finally CODE is not part of Nextcloud, we can choose to use it or not.
So let’s make common sense common practice.
Cheers :beers:

#15

Collabora is not a FLOSS project its a sham of a project that resembles FLOSS. They maintain that, it is but the reality is different.
This would be no problem if it was not for the removal of the documents app as then Nextcloud as an opensource project would have choice in this particular arena.

Collabora is something that infuriates me as it is from closed minds who can not operate in other manner than an extremely closed commercial entity that FLOSS is supposed to be a better alternative to.
Stallman was a crackpot and FOSS & FLOSS is a misnomer and Eric Raymond was bang on the button, as user led open source software is a collection of mutual benefit relationships that makes better and more efficient software and product.
Irrespective of my opinion Collaboro niether falls into the Stallman or Raymond camp.
CODE is a closed advertisment for a closed commercial product, you can not even compile the github offerings and get involved with anything from bug checking or development.
It is neither what Stallman or Raymond envisaged and in essence is a scam to put forward it is anyway a piece of floss code.
CODE is purely a limited functionality advert for a commercial closed source product.
That is not FLOSS or FOSS or opensource, they need to be upfront about what it is and not allow the real picture to dawn on actual extended use as its a software version of entrapment.
The reason this infuriates me is that the offering is made flakey purely to keep it closed and this paints a picture on FLOSS software, that opensource is in someway an inferior product.
Then again most opensource software employs a model of service vs a free offering that are at odds with themselves.
It is just a shame minds are so closed they can only think of classical closed source business models.

Collabora is actually a kick in the teeth to the really great opensource software that makes 99% of nextcloud and at times I see them as closed with the FLOSS ideal and sometimes purely a polar opposite as they are closed to possible other business models.

#16

You are right, it is not a project, it’s a company and as i said.
Companies need profit to function.

I would argue there is no need to infuriate at all.
Any how, i’m keeping my copy of LibreOffice and work from there.

Cheers.

#17

There was no argument there, but companies don’t need to misrepresent there offerings to enable profit.

Collabora’s mission is to accelerate the adoption of open source technologies, methodologies and philosophy.

That is a clear oxymoron in regards to the nature of the release and offerings.

Nextcloud has a preference for MariaDB over MySQL, but employs CODE?!
It is purely preference and valid, but it does question stated rationales and base honesty.

#18

PS another question, does this mean 2 people each with 5 document browser tabs open means the system is maxed?
I would rather have 3 or 5 concurrent users than a hard coded document limit.

#19

Yes, it’s 10 documents opened at the same time, no matter how many real nextcloud users are.
And it’s 20 Connections max on 1, 2, 3 or 10 documents.

#20

Thought as much, really need the documents app back to give Nextcloud choice. I really like LOOL but there isn’t even a single user or small workgroup offering.
One that is valid for my arena’s expenditure, that is.