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OccupySaaS

occupysaas.com292 points170 comments
Screenshot of OccupySaaS

OccupySaaS presents itself as a protest movement responding to tech layoffs, rising subscription costs, per-seat pricing, and vendor lock-in. Its central claim is that software built by workers should be available to everyone as open-source, self-hosted alternatives without seat-based charges. The projects aim to replace established services while remaining compatible with their APIs, so customers can reuse existing integrations and reduce dependence on a vendor. The movement invites developers to contribute code, write specifications, test compatibility, self-host projects, or suggest future targets.

Its method is to rebuild software independently from public API documentation, open standards, and published SDK behavior, without using leaked or proprietary code, decompiled binaries, or confidential knowledge from former employers. Specifications and implementation work are separated by a documented clean-room firewall; AI helps build from the specifications, with human review and compatibility testing against vendors’ public SDKs. The first two early-stage projects are ZeroAuthy, an Auth0-compatible identity server supporting features such as OIDC, hosted login, and token management, and SalesCompel, a Salesforce-oriented CRM with account and contact records, a REST API, and a compatibility lab. Both are Apache-2.0 licensed and not yet presented as production-ready. Other suggested targets include documentation tools, issue tracking, feature flags, observability, and customer support.

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