Yes, they are pretending to be open source for SEO purposes and that is not okay. They do get the definition of OSS right:
> "Open source support ticket systems are unique in that anyone is free to inspect, modify, and enhance the underlying code that’s used to build the ticketing system."
But then somehow they include Zendesk in the "Top 10 open source helpdesk ticketing systems". Can I see the code used to build Zendesk? Obviously not. Now suddenly the definition of Zendesk is this, which is different from the Open Source definition they themselves quoted:
> Zendesk is an open API ticket system which means third-party developers can build new integrations on our platform. Unlike other open source ticketing systems, Zendesk software offers all the advantages of open source ticketing without your team having to build a system from scratch. Zendesk’s open API ticketing system software gives your team all the tools they need to build as much—or as little—as they want.
I think the page has changed? It doesn't say this now.... also your link to web archive seems to be a save link rather than a link to the captured site
Not to excuse this, but this has to be coming from a clueless copywriter and just never got reviewed by anyone who actually knows what it means. All they're trying to say is that they have an API so you can build integrations yourself if they don't have what you need off the shelf.
No one who understood both marketing and engineering would ever approve something like this because it wouldn't actually lead to any sales, and if by some crazy chance a buyer naively did purchase based on such a premise it would be a colossal shit-storm once they found out and they'd have to nullify the contract.
I think you pasted the wrong wayback machine url. the url you posted here is to indicate wayback machine to take a snapshot, not to show a snapshot they already archived.
There's another misleading "google featured snippet" if you search google for:
is zendesk open source?
"Unlike other open source ticketing systems, Zendesk software offers all the advantages of open source ticketing without your team having to build a system from scratch"
So, somebody at ZenDesk appears to be flexing their SEO.
Thanks for pointing this out. I just used the Feedback link in that Google search result page to specify that Zendesk is not open source. If enough people do this, it will completely negate (or even penalize?) Zendesk's misleading marketing attempt.
And this after the edit is the main purpose here. Tricking Knowledge Graph into regurgitating bad info, and then claiming that their site never states Zendesk is open source, and Google just misunderstood.
> Zendesk is an open API ticket system which means third-party developers can build new integrations on our platform. Unlike other open source ticketing systems, Zendesk software offers all the advantages of open source ticketing without your team having to build a system from scratch.
And at the top:
> Best Open Source Ticketing System
> Open source help desk for a smarter, more agile customer service operation.
> Start free trial
EDIT: Here's some actual open source help desk software. Anyone got any further recommendations?
Wow, this is really gross. I used to know some people there, and thought they were fairly decent. I'd ask "what happened", but that's just redundant.
What's especially sad is I can't imagine this does them any good - the Venn diagram of people who would be fooled by this nonsense and sort of person who cares about open source seems pretty thin, so I have trouble imagining that pissing on the floor like this even helps them.
But I would encourage everyone to post the results of asking them where to download their source code.
Zendesk seems to have their own definition of what "open source" means, contrary to everyone else:
> An open source ticketing system is software that service teams use to document customer issues. The system helps these teams correctly route, resolve, and track all their customers’ problems and requests.
But then go on to state:
> Open source support ticket systems are unique in that anyone is free to inspect, modify, and enhance the underlying code that’s used to build the ticketing system. [including a link to https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-source]
I'm interested to see where I can "inspect, modify, and enhance the underlying code" for Zendesk? I've used it sometimes in the past, but never seen any of the underlying code for it.
Edit: seems to contradict themselves a couple of more times in the article too. Here is another passage under "Cons of an open source help desk ticketing system":
> With a help desk like Zendesk’s, all it takes is a plan upgrade to access a whole bevy of new features. But with fully open source systems, modifying the code can take multiple days—or weeks if your developers are busy.
Seems they are saying here that Zendesk is not a "fully open source system", judging by that?
More:
> [...] if you have a strong development team ready to go, an open source ticket system could be for you.
> On the other hand, if you have a lean team, or if you want a full feature set that’s ready to go, Zendesk is your best option.
It's funny that the sales team who wrote that article actually show they don't know what they are writing about, and probably had to meet some word count. In any case, it probably sells, why it is still online.
I think the Zendesk article forgot us, take a look at a truly open source solution for CRM with live chat, knowledge base, video calls, API integrations, product tours, newsletters and more. https://github.com/chaskiq/chaskiq
Based on the URL structure and the content I will venture a guess that this is SEO keyword driven content. They likely have a list of top keywords they’re looking to rank well on and this is one such keyword.
I've noticed this in a different context as well. Searching for "Free X" where X is some niche software, a website will list themselves as #1, even though their product is paid, albeit with a 30 days free trial. It's the new generation of SEO hacking.
I was just looking up docusign competitors and many of the comparison articles are by one of the competitors, Juro, on their own domain, pretending to be impartial. but all the links to the even more enticing competitors for my use case actually go to Juro! I would have signed up too if Juro didn't hide the pricing, so I actually got bounced from the phishing site for that reason, and noticed I was still on Juro's domain.
I have seen this often recently, sass providers claiming they are open source because they have free trials, can be rented or worst, because they have an API.
Reminds me how Comodo said they open sourced their EDR but in reality it is just some code thrown around commercial libraries and github comments about no one able to get it to compile.
Open source has an archaic definition of "open content" that does match what they're saying. Zendesk then appends the word "software" to it. They know what they are doing.
But the mere fact that you can read some of the tickets without signing up makes it "open source".
[+] [-] franciscop|4 years ago|reply
> "Open source support ticket systems are unique in that anyone is free to inspect, modify, and enhance the underlying code that’s used to build the ticketing system."
But then somehow they include Zendesk in the "Top 10 open source helpdesk ticketing systems". Can I see the code used to build Zendesk? Obviously not. Now suddenly the definition of Zendesk is this, which is different from the Open Source definition they themselves quoted:
> Zendesk is an open API ticket system which means third-party developers can build new integrations on our platform. Unlike other open source ticketing systems, Zendesk software offers all the advantages of open source ticketing without your team having to build a system from scratch. Zendesk’s open API ticketing system software gives your team all the tools they need to build as much—or as little—as they want.
Open API !== Open Source ticket system
PS, archived:
https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.zendesk.co.uk/help-...
[+] [-] shric|4 years ago|reply
https://web.archive.org/web/20220114223428/https://www.zende...
[+] [-] keithnz|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dasil003|4 years ago|reply
No one who understood both marketing and engineering would ever approve something like this because it wouldn't actually lead to any sales, and if by some crazy chance a buyer naively did purchase based on such a premise it would be a colossal shit-storm once they found out and they'd have to nullify the contract.
[+] [-] fishywang|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jasonhansel|4 years ago|reply
edit: As intended, when you Google "best open source helpdesk 2021," Google now just shows the following excerpt:
> Top 10 open source helpdesk ticketing systems
> • Zendesk.
> • FreeScout.
> • osTicket.
> [...]
[+] [-] tyingq|4 years ago|reply
is zendesk open source?
"Unlike other open source ticketing systems, Zendesk software offers all the advantages of open source ticketing without your team having to build a system from scratch"
So, somebody at ZenDesk appears to be flexing their SEO.
[+] [-] xnx|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ocdtrekkie|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Apocryphon|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tailspin2019|4 years ago|reply
> Top 10 open source helpdesk ticketing systems
> 1. Zendesk
> 2. etc
Followed by:
> Zendesk is an open API ticket system which means third-party developers can build new integrations on our platform. Unlike other open source ticketing systems, Zendesk software offers all the advantages of open source ticketing without your team having to build a system from scratch.
And at the top:
> Best Open Source Ticketing System
> Open source help desk for a smarter, more agile customer service operation.
> Start free trial
EDIT: Here's some actual open source help desk software. Anyone got any further recommendations?
https://github.com/awesome-selfhosted/awesome-selfhosted#tic...
[+] [-] _jal|4 years ago|reply
What's especially sad is I can't imagine this does them any good - the Venn diagram of people who would be fooled by this nonsense and sort of person who cares about open source seems pretty thin, so I have trouble imagining that pissing on the floor like this even helps them.
But I would encourage everyone to post the results of asking them where to download their source code.
[+] [-] capableweb|4 years ago|reply
> An open source ticketing system is software that service teams use to document customer issues. The system helps these teams correctly route, resolve, and track all their customers’ problems and requests.
But then go on to state:
> Open source support ticket systems are unique in that anyone is free to inspect, modify, and enhance the underlying code that’s used to build the ticketing system. [including a link to https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-source]
I'm interested to see where I can "inspect, modify, and enhance the underlying code" for Zendesk? I've used it sometimes in the past, but never seen any of the underlying code for it.
Edit: seems to contradict themselves a couple of more times in the article too. Here is another passage under "Cons of an open source help desk ticketing system":
> With a help desk like Zendesk’s, all it takes is a plan upgrade to access a whole bevy of new features. But with fully open source systems, modifying the code can take multiple days—or weeks if your developers are busy.
Seems they are saying here that Zendesk is not a "fully open source system", judging by that?
More:
> [...] if you have a strong development team ready to go, an open source ticket system could be for you.
> On the other hand, if you have a lean team, or if you want a full feature set that’s ready to go, Zendesk is your best option.
[+] [-] sebazzz|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] xerxes901|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] miguelmichelson|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] keithnz|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Moto7451|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tailspin2019|4 years ago|reply
I spent a good 10 minutes trying to understand what I was reading here.
[+] [-] forgotmyoldacc|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] vmception|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] yawaworht1978|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dreadlordbone|4 years ago|reply
yep
[+] [-] ericlamb89|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rplnt|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] merrvk|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] MangoCoffee|4 years ago|reply
they read it on cio magazine and ZenDesk have "open source" api.
[+] [-] mataug|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] monodot|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rackjack|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gregd|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mrits|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] vmception|4 years ago|reply
But the mere fact that you can read some of the tickets without signing up makes it "open source".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_(disambiguation)
[+] [-] firloop|4 years ago|reply
Clever segue from "open source", to open.