I tried going the under the hood route and configuring the collabora to work but after multiple failed attempts I think I’m throwing the towel.
I got my start9 because I wanted to self host and I thought I could do that and create the same environment I’m used to for my daily workflow.
Now I know that start9 is not yet ready for the same experience but I am hopeful it will get there with the dev team. In the mean time, has anyone found a viable work around to do “online” editing. I am very mobile and often end up using what ever computer is available to me for writing. I’ve had the best experience with google docs but I want to host my own data.
Looking for anyone else out there looking to do the same.
Hi JohnnyB, welcome to the forum! It’s awesome to have you here, and we’re excited about your journey into self-hosting. Feel free to ask questions or share your experiences—we’re all learning together!
To address your question about online editing and self-hosting: StartOS provides two great tools that can help you achieve a productive workflow:
Nextcloud on StartOS
Nextcloud is a powerful self-hosted cloud platform for managing files and syncing data across devices. While Nextcloud Office (Collabora Online) isn’t currently supported, there are still useful apps like:
Notes: Perfect for quick text editing and note-taking.
Tasks: Helps you organize and manage your writing projects.
Edit with LibreOffice: This app adds an “Edit with LibreOffice” option to the Files dropdown menu. It allows you to open files directly in LibreOffice via WebDAV, edit them, and save changes back without downloading or reuploading. It requires LibreOffice 7.2+ on Linux/macOS or 5.3+ on Windows.
CryptPad on StartOS
CryptPad is another excellent option for online editing. It’s a privacy-focused, end-to-end encrypted collaboration suite that works similarly to Google Docs but keeps your data secure. Key features include:
Document Editing: Create and edit text documents, spreadsheets, and presentations collaboratively.
Encryption: All data is encrypted before leaving your browser.
Accessibility: Works seamlessly in any browser without requiring an account for collaborators.
With Nextcloud for file management and CryptPad for private document editing, you can build a mobile-friendly, self-hosted workflow while keeping control of your data. Let us know if you need help setting these up!
CryptPad is listed in the Community Registry. To access it, navigate in StartOS to the Marketplace, and switch the registry to “Community.” There, you will find CryptPad along with many other services maintained by community members rather than the Start9 team.
I guess I’m not nearly as technical as I thought I could be. I walked through the instructions and toggled enable remote embedding in cryptpad but I still cant “open with cryptpad” on my nextcloud. Am I missing something?
These two services are connected I’m afraid, you might need to wait until we can work out Collabora for your precise use case of not having your own personal computer.
It’s awesome to have you here, and we’re excited about your journey into self-hosting. Feel free to ask questions or share your experiences—we’re all learning together!