Seafile is great…with caveats that seem to bother people away from it:

1. Files are stored as git-like chunks on the server

2. Features behind a paywall for more than 3 users (Pro vs Comminity versions)

3. Documentation can be very confusing at times

Item 1 can be mitigated by utilizing tools like Rclone to mount the files on the server, reassembling the chunks, then back up and unmount when done. Item 2 isn’t a deal breaker for me.

It is super fast and reliable in my experience. I specify wanted the selective sync because my stupid MacBook has a tiny SSD, but I still wanted access to files from other device libraries.

I’ve tried 'em all. And I am always on the lookout for new apps that can do what I want. So far, Obsidian is the best.

• Joplin: adds meta data to your text files making it nearly impossible to find anything outside of Joplin unless you export

• Logseq: the closest substitute to Obsidian. The android app is almost unusable in my testing. And it’s an outlined based note app, so it requires a different mindset

• Silverbullet: such a neat project. The PWA runs great on every device I’ve tried it on. That said, I find it hard to navigate and will require more learning to take full advantage of its features

• Nextcloud Notes: decent if you already have an instance running. Not worth it just for Notes though. It’s very spartan, feature-wise

• Quillpad: the closest Google Keep alternative I’ve found so far. Does require Nextcloud insurance to sync though. At least currently.

• Acreom: very cool project. Similar to Obsidian and Logseq. Local first…unless you’re on mobile, then you are required to have an account and use their sync.

• Notesnook: has great features but does not store the notes on plain text (due to encryption), which is a deal breaker for my use case

• Memos: very easy to selfhost. Think of it like a personal twitter feed. Stores entries in a db file, so it’s out for me

I tested others, and many didnt last long enough in my testing to even be worth writing about. I find Obsidian’s folder hierarchy easier to fit around how my brain works. And the plain text files in folders, maintaining the hierarchy, is a killer feature for me. Lots of folks self host a sync solution. And I want to but am currently paying for their basic sync plan of $5/mo.

Source?

Something to think about, if it’s important to you. I went through this same journey. I had been using Day one, which is a beautiful app. But I began considering what would happen to those entries when I’m dead and gone. It’s important that my wife and kids can read through the years if the desire. That lead me in a search for something that has the most “future proof” journaling approach. Something that would still be easily readable without a bunch of exporting or conversion should the company go out of business.

Obsidian is one of many apps that at its core, is simple text files in folders on your local machine(s). As others have said you can self host rather than paying for their home grown sync solution. I’ve tried Joplin, Logseq, Trillium, Memos, and I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting. They have all had some level of dealbreaker for me. Like Logseq has a horrible android app. Memos stores entries inside a database, so not easily retrievable. And Joplin adds meta data to the contents of your text files as well as screwing up the file/folder names to something that isn’t human readable. So I’ve stuck with Obsidian. It’s not open source, but the file format is platform agnostic and can be read by just about any computer or mobile device made in decades.

That said, you won’t get the calendar features with dates/locations of photos like you mentioned unless someone has made a plugin for it.

I’ve found the PWA adequate for my phone usage. I found a custom CSS that is sort of a Gruvbox that I really like.

Miniflux is great. I use Wallabag as my read it later app and selfhost both on a cheap VPS. They’re tightly integrated but Miniflux supports several other integrations

Honestly it seems like Obsidian is the one matching most of your criteria. $4/mo isn’t bad for a bullet proof sync solution with version history, imo. I also have my vault backed up on each client locally for extra protection.

I’d love to suggest Logseq because FOSS, but man does the android app suck.

That said, I find Obsidian really lacks in the simple to-do/checklist function. So I use Quillpad synced to my Nextcloud server for Google Keep-like functionality. Everything else goes into Obsidian.

I have used Nebo as well and instead of exporting I did a select all, copy and paste. Not very elegant but it did work to sort of “convert” to markdown.

And the file names are not the note titles like Obsidian (and logseq I believe)

Pop!_OS is neat. I’ve been running it on my desktop and laptop for over a year now. I like that it doesn’t look like Windows and has enough difference to it to not be a macOS clone either. Plus I think System76 is doing some great things with hardware design.

Hey! That works. Not sure how I missed that. Thank you!

Don’t know if you saw that they added a $4/mo tier for Obsidian Sync. I thought $8/mo was too high and went to cancel it and saw the cheaper price. For how well it works as far as speed and reliability of syncing with version control, it’s worth that for me.

Yeah, it’s not perfect. I’ve noticed that when making a task list/checkbox note that you can’t delete the line. Sure you can go and edit the contents of that line, but even if you delete all text, the line with a checkbox remains. Kind of annoying, particularly when I accidentally create another checkbox and have nothing to put in it. it’s just an empty line and checkbox sitting there mocking me. You can still mark it complete of course, but it kinda makes my eye twitch. :)

Yes, that’s how I’m using it. NextcloudPi on a Pi 4. It’s been working really well for me.

It puts completed items at the bottom of the list, if I understand what you’re asking

I’m using Quillpad

Does Technitium support DNS rewrites like Adguard Home?

Just to throw my own experience in the mix. I tried the AIO and standard versions of Nextcloud and found them to be flakey and slow. But I felt compelled to keep trying. That’s when I found NextcloudPi. I’ve installed it on a Pi4 running from an external SSD and it’s been rock solid. I believe that version is no longer in development though and I primarily use it as a sync platform for various apps rather than using the web apps directly.

And just to be contrary, have you looked at Seafile? It’s stupid fast and stable but some features are hidden behind a paywall if you have more than 3 users (community vs pro). Their documentation is poor, and the data is stored in Git-lik chunks on the server. All of which can be a deal breaker for some. The external storage feature works, but for a newb like me, it was a bear to get running.

I like Wallabag. Snuggles in nicely with my chosen RSS: Miniflux

Yes. I have a Pi4 running NextcloudPi image on it. I sync docs, pics, even backup my Obsidian vault. It’s worked really well for Quillpad in my experience. On desktop I use Iotas (Linux) if I need to update from that instead of my phone.