<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-04</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001043134</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DOCENT INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DCNT</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001220021</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LAIRD NEIL J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2444 CHARLESTON ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MT. VIEW</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94043</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Sr. Vice President &amp; CFO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>200</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>3.69</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>200</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>3.68</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4300</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>3.70</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4300</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Neil J. Laird, Trustee of the Neil J. Laird 2002 Living Trust, dated July 31, 2002</footnote><footnote id="F2">Neil J. Laird, Trustee of the Neil J. Laird 2002 Living Trust, dated July 31, 2002</footnote><footnote id="F3">Neil J. Laird, Trustee of the Neil J. Laird 2002 Living Trust, dated July 31, 2002</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Neil Laird, Sr. Vice President and CFO</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



