Digital Sovereignty: a 'useful' third way for business
In the French software market, two distinct paths are clearly emerging. The first is made up of the American digital giants: Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft (GAFAM). It is sometimes supplemented by overlays. The second is proposed by French or European sovereign players who offer alternative solutions that respect the RGPG and are not subject to the Cloud Act. By taking either of these paths, companies run the risk of being trapped either by locking themselves into the complete but locked-in offer of the GAFAMs, or by limiting themselves exclusively to the offers of sovereign publishers. However, a third way exists. Here are some explanations.
Mature French and European tools
Today, French and European publishers offer genuine mature technical alternatives capable of competing with their American counterparts. The idea insidiously introduced by the American lobbies that Europe is lagging behind irretrievably is false. For example, the Collabora office suites and especially OnlyOffice, which is well compatible with the Office suite, are reliable alternatives today.
In the field of videoconferencing, the European offer is rich and efficient, with solutions such as Jitsi, Glowbl or BigBlueButton facing Microsoft Teams or Google Meet. There are also alternative solutions for email such as Bluemind. The maturity of sovereign solutions now opens up the possibility of supplementing or replacing GAFAM tools with tricoloured or European tools.
A "useful" third way that meets customers' needs
A third way is therefore possible. Companies have the free choice of using American software, sovereign software or a mix of both. The reality of the market is not binary, nor is the reality of companies' needs. Adapting to their needs means offering them the choice of the best tools on the market, whether they are sovereign or American. This is the only way to opt for sustainable solutions while minimising the risk of being locked into a single or exclusive offer. A "useful" third way because it is also reasonable. Being a prisoner of GAFAM is a problem. But it is counterproductive to focus all your efforts on fighting against solutions that are popular with users.
Adopting this third path allows companies to engage in a transition of interoperability and cohabitation of various tools. Few publishers have adopted this approach to date, as it is easier to be identified as a complement to GAFAM solutions or as a sovereign solution than to seek to address the reality of the market. However, in the field of digital workplaces, the real challenge for publishers is to fit into their customers' environment and let them choose the tools best suited to their needs.
Jalios defends this flexibility of solution choice
Jalios is part of this third way, giving its customers the choice to compose their Digital Workplace "à la carte" to better meet their needs, preserve their past choices and preserve the choices for future developments. This third way corresponds to our values of respect for our users and proximity to our customers.
For the past 20 years, our guiding principle has always been to respect our customers' technical choices. We are therefore present at both ends of the spectrum and in all the nuances in between. As a Microsoft partner we help our customers to complement and better use Microsoft 365. As an alternative vendor, we offer a complete and fully sovereign solution. Able to cover all market demands, Jalios is positioned as an independent and perennial player that companies can rely on to use the best solutions.
Vincent Bouthors
CEO, Jalios
