🔗 Lies I was told about collaborative editing, part 1: algorithms for offline editing

In an era where collaborative editing tools are becoming integral to workflows, some popular algorithms promise effective solutions for both online and offline editing. However, as evaluated in Moment's development blog, many of these algorithms, including CRDTs and OT, result in unintuitive outcomes that users often perceive as data corruption. Out of numerous tests on these algorithms, about 20-30% resulted in conflicts that left documents in states no user would accept.

The piece argues for a reframing of collaborative editing as a UI/UX challenge rather than solely an algorithmic one. With advancements in approach, the vision of improved offline editing experiences may not be far-fetched, especially as researchers like Ink & Switch explore the intersection of algorithms and user interface design.