Phasing out Google G-Suite for my company, the decision wasn’t primarily due to cost—our company only used 9 member slots, making cost a minor factor.
Filesharing
In 2022, I switched to a custom file sharing system hosted at enfoid.io, which has proven to be stable and allows me full access and control. Despite this, my preference was originally for Dropbox because:
- They prioritize integration capabilities.
- They offer robust API endpoints for seamless integration.
- The client software can sync over the intranet to reduce bandwidth usage.
- True local backups.
- Their documentation is clear and comprehensive.
- There have been no reported privacy issues.
However, the major drawback of using Dropbox for business purposes is the cost escalation once you move beyond the free, personal, or family plans, which makes it an impractical option.
While Google appears to uphold its promise not to scan business emails for advertising purposes or other reasons, the ongoing practices with personal accounts remain concerning. Additionally, frequent technology updates with minimal support for older versions require constant vigilance, which can be burdensome for a small company without dedicated IT staff.
Although I miss features like email routing and groups from G-Suite, which no one really uses and seem like relics (e.g., akin to usenet), they still hold potential power when utilized effectively. This gap has been addressed with a traditional mailing list system at enfoid.io/list and standard mail routing using Postfix.
Sheets/Documets
Our company never fully utilized Google Sheets or Docs due to concerns over future privacy implications. Instead, shared spreadsheets for development purposes were typically handled through individual accounts.
i will re-post this piece also on the EnFoid Company Blog.
