I'm back in the boat
Tags: sailfishos, floss, jolla, opensource
Published: 2021-06-11 07:26:59

---
title: I'm back in the boat
published: true
date: 2021-06-11 00:00:00 UTC
tags: sailfishos, floss, jolla, opensource
canonical_url: https://scarpino.dev/posts/im-back-in-the-boat.html
---

In mid-2014 I first heard about [Jolla](https://jolla.com) and [Sailfish OS](https://sailfishos.org) and immediately bought a Jolla 1; wrote apps; participated in the IGG campaign for Jolla Tablet; bought the TOHKBD2; applied for (and got) Jolla C.

Sounds like the beginning of a good story doesn’t it?

Well, by the beginning of 2017 I had sold everything (except the tablet, we all know [what happened](https://blog.jolla.com/jolla-tablet-project-update/) to that one).

So what happened?? I was a happy Sailfish user, but Jolla’s false promises disappointed me.

Yet, despite all that, I still think about Sailfish OS to this day. I think it’s because, despite [some proprietary components](https://reviewjolla.blogspot.com/p/sailfish-os-open-source-licencing-stage.html), the ecosystem around Sailfish OS is ultimately open source. And that’s what interests me. It also got [a fresh update](https://blog.jolla.com/koli/) which solves some of the problems that where there 5 years ago.

Nowadays, **thanks to the community** , Sailfish OS can be installed on [many devices](https://wiki.merproject.org/wiki/Adaptations/libhybris), even if with some less components, but I’m looking for that complete experience and so I asked on the [forum](https://forum.sailfishos.org) if there was someone willing to sell his Xperia device with or without the license… and I got one for free. Better still, in exchange for some apps!

To decide which applications to create, I therefore took a look at that ecosystem. I started with the apps I use daily on Android and looked for the Sailfish OS alternative (spoiler: I’m impressed, good job guys!).

I am writing them all here because I am sure it will be useful to someone else:

- AntennaPod (podcast app) -> [PodQast](https://gitlab.com/cy8aer/podqast)
- Ariane (gemini protocol browser)
- AsteroidOS (AsteroidOS sync) -> [Starfish](https://github.com/AsteroidOS/starfish)
- Connectbot (ssh client) -> built-in (Terminal)
- Conversation (xmpp client) -> built-in (Messaging)
- Davx5 (caldav/cardav) -> built-in (Account)
- DroidShows (TV series) -> [SeriesFinale](https://github.com/corecomic/seriesfinale)
- Element (Matrix client) -> [Determinant](https://github.com/R1tschY/harbour-determinant)
- Endoscope (camera stream)
- Fedilab (Mastodon client) -> [Tooter](https://github.com/dysk0/harbour-tooter)
- ForkHub (GitHub client) -> [SailHub](https://github.com/black-sheep-dev/harbour-sailhub)
- FOSS Browser -> built-in ([Browser](https://github.com/sailfishos/sailfish-browser))
- FreeOTP -> [SailOTP](https://github.com/seiichiro0185/sailotp)
- Glider (hacker news reader) -> [SailHN](https://gitlab.com/ilpianista/harbour-SailHN)
- K-9 Mail -> built-in (Mail)
- KDE Connect (KDE sync) -> [SailfishConnect](https://github.com/R1tschY/harbour-sailfishconnect)
- Keepassx (password manager) -> [ownKeepass](https://github.com/jobe-m/ownkeepass)
- Labcoat (GitLab client)
- Lemmur (Lemmy client)
- MasterPassword (password manager) -> [MPW](https://gitlab.com/ilpianista/harbour-MPW)
- MuPDF (PDF reader) -> built-in (Documents)
- Newpipe (YouTube client) -> [YTPlayer](https://github.com/direc85/harbour-ytplayer)
- Nextcloud (Nextcloud files) -> [GhostCloud](https://github.com/fredldotme/harbour-owncloud)
- Notes (Nextcloud notes) -> [Nextcloud Notes](https://github.com/scharel/harbour-nextcloudnotes)
- OCReader (Nextcloud RSS) -> [Fuoten](https://github.com/Huessenbergnetz/Fuoten)
- OsmAnd~ (Maps) -> [PureMaps](https://github.com/rinigus/pure-maps)
- Printing (built-in) -> [SeaPrint](https://github.com/attah/harbour-seaprint)
- QuickDic (dictionary) -> [SailyDict](https://github.com/name924/SailyDIct)
- RedMoon (screen color temperature) -> [Tint Overlay](https://github.com/CODeRUS/harbour-tint-overlay)
- RedReader (Reddit client) -> [Quickddit](https://github.com/accumulator/Quickddit)
- Signal -> [Whisperfish](https://gitlab.com/whisperfish/whisperfish)
- Syncthing (files sync) -> there’s [the binary](https://github.com/fuchsmich/sailfish-syncthing-bin), no UI
- Transdroid (Trasmission client) -> [Clutch](https://github.com/sam-hobbs/harbour-clutch)
- Vinyl (music player) -> built-in (Mediaplayer)
- VLC (NFS streaming) -> [videoPlayer](https://github.com/llelectronics/videoPlayer)
- WireGuard (VPN) -> there’s [the binary](https://github.com/antranigv/wireguard-sailfish), no UI
- YetAnotherCallBlocker (call blocker) -> [Phonehook](https://github.com/omnight/phonehook)

So, to me it looks like almost everything is there, except:

- a [gemini](https://gemini.circumlunar.space/) protocol browser
- a client for [GitLab](https://gitlab.com)
- a client for [Lemmy](https://dev.lemmy.ml)
- a UI for [Syncthing](https://syncthing.net)
- a UI for [Wireguard](https://www.wireguard.com/)

I’ve already started to write a UI for [Syncthing](https://gitlab.com/ilpianista/harbour-syncthing), then maybe I could write the browser for the gemini protocol or rather the GitLab client?

Please consider a donation if you would like to support me (mention your favourite project!).

[![Liberapay](https://liberapay.com/assets/widgets/donate.svg)](https://liberapay.com/ilpianista/donate)

Many many thanks to Jörg who sent me his Sony Xperia 10 Plus! I hope I don’t disappoint him!