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points by sixdimensional 2 days ago | 0 comments

Same. What I would like to see is Git for non-technical users, built as a public platform that is open source, hosting this.

I do think there are some Markdown-based open source projects that might fit the bill.

[–] p-e-w 2 days ago

There are a million frontends designed to simplify Git for non-programmers. In fact, lots of office software now has version management built-in. Very few people use it. This isn’t a technology problem.

[–] hnlmorg 1 day ago

To be fair, version control built into office suits are often hidden away or have other UX patterns that aren’t comfortable for nontechnical folk. So they either still get scared by it, or don’t even know it exists.

Yet there is a demand for version control for nontechnical people. And I know this because I’ve seen enough files called “copy of important thing” or “important thing 2”.

[–] sixdimensional 1 day ago

Yes, thank you, I agree exactly with your comment. Track changes doesn't seem to have the right user experience for non-technical users.

[–] p-e-w 1 day ago

> Yet there is a demand for version control for nontechnical people. And I know this because I’ve seen enough files called “copy of important thing” or “important thing 2”.

This demonstrates LACK OF demand for technical version control, since the system you describe has been used since forever and found to be good enough.

[–] hnlmorg 1 day ago

No. It demonstrates nontechnical people adapting the skills they’re familiar with to suit a requirement they have.

It doesn’t prove that they don’t want a better solution should it have the right UX. And, as I said in my original comment, the current UX for version control in documents both sucks and is often hidden away where people might not even be aware it exists.

[–] phoghed 1 day ago

Track changes in office is used heavily. Version history in Google Docs also

[–] talon8635 1 day ago

They’d use some hyper-expensively-licensed Google/Microsoft doc web product far before even considering git

[–] unsnap_biceps 2 days ago

Wouldn't a wiki basically be exactly that?

[–] sixdimensional 1 day ago

Yes, it is, but the issue is ease of use for non-technical users.

I was trying to avoid naming any products on purpose, but, for example, there is a commercial product that is easy enough for most people and affordable that would work for this- and there are a few open source clones that come close.

The open source clones are not quite polished enough for non-technical users, but they are the closest thing I can think of, basically crossing over a wiki + Markdown for knowledgebase creation with Git-like versioning.