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I hear about Matrix a lot, but I have no idea why I should use it. Can anyone explain why I should use Matrix?

thinkloop 8y ago
- no vendor lock-in - decentralized - encrypted/private/secure - open-source It's like irc or email for private decentralized encrypted chat.
- dboreham 8y ago
  Matrix isn't really decentralized. It's federated.
  - zaarn 8y ago
    Federation is a form of decentralization.
    - erdii 8y ago
      Also you can host a completely isolated matrix server, that does not connect to "the Matrix network"
    - thinkloop 8y ago
      For example, every client could choose to run its own server to have a perfectly decentralized network. Federation is a feature that allows for greater than 1:1 mapping between clients and servers.
    - amiraliakbari 8y ago
      No, decentralization is invented alongside the blockchain and nothing without a blockchain is decentralized. :)
      - deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
      - stagas 8y ago
        No, you don't need a blockchain for decentralization. Also, you don't need a blockchain[0]. [0]: https://thomaslarock.com/2018/11/no-you-dont-need-a-blockchain/ https://thomaslarock.com/2018/11/no-you-dont-need-a-blockcha...
        viraptor 8y ago
        I believe you missed a joke.
        stagas 8y ago
        Gosh, I did miss it actually, my bad. Mild autism, I suppose, I often take words literally, esp. when there are no facial/voice tone cues.
  - Arathorn 8y ago
    In Matrix the conversations really are decentralised, not federated, over the servers - they are replicated over the nodes just as you would with git or a blockchain. Meanwhile we’re actively working on running servers clientside, at which point it becomes fully p2p as well as decentralised if you want that.
    - severine 8y ago
      > we’re actively working on running servers clientside, at which point it becomes fully p2p as well as decentralised if you want that. Where can I read more about this?
    - dboreham 8y ago
      Right, I meant federated in that each user is expected to connect to a home server, not to "the network". Running the server locally on the user's device definitely changes the picture.
  - ATsch 8y ago
    I think a useful way of looking at it is that the rooms are decentralized, i.e. not owned by a single server, but the user accounts are (for now).
    - thinkloop 8y ago
      > but the user accounts are (for now) aren't? If so can you explain?
      - ATsch 8y ago
        yes, I meant they aren't
krick 8y ago
Basically, because there's no alternative for a truly open, striving for security messenger software. It's imperfect, but, honestly, Matrix/Riot is as good as it gets for now. Both server and client software are open-source, and it is designed to be federated network, meaning if you don't trust their e2e encryption or whatever, you can just roll up your own server and use it to communicate with somebody. And it's pretty decent in terms of features already implemented, it's easy to write helper-bots, it has clients for all major OS. And, sadly, almost everyone still uses Telegram/Whatsapp instead, which is, I believe the main reason you (and everyone else asking) should start using it even if you don't feel like you have to, because none of your friends are currently on it.
dboreham 8y ago
It's xmpp reborn (or IRC if you're that way), with a modern feature set, so the thing you use if you want Slack but without SlackCo.
Perceptes 8y ago
I'm still very partial (obviously) to the Introduction to Matrix guide we wrote as part of Ruma's documentation: https://www.ruma.io/docs/matrix/ https://www.ruma.io/docs/matrix/

- no vendor lock-in - decentralized - encrypted/private/secure - open-source It's like irc or email for private decentralized encrypted chat.

dboreham 8y ago
Matrix isn't really decentralized. It's federated.
- zaarn 8y ago
  Federation is a form of decentralization.
  - erdii 8y ago
    Also you can host a completely isolated matrix server, that does not connect to "the Matrix network"
  - thinkloop 8y ago
    For example, every client could choose to run its own server to have a perfectly decentralized network. Federation is a feature that allows for greater than 1:1 mapping between clients and servers.
  - amiraliakbari 8y ago
    No, decentralization is invented alongside the blockchain and nothing without a blockchain is decentralized. :)
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
    - stagas 8y ago
      No, you don't need a blockchain for decentralization. Also, you don't need a blockchain[0]. [0]: https://thomaslarock.com/2018/11/no-you-dont-need-a-blockchain/ https://thomaslarock.com/2018/11/no-you-dont-need-a-blockcha...
      - viraptor 8y ago
        I believe you missed a joke.
        stagas 8y ago
        Gosh, I did miss it actually, my bad. Mild autism, I suppose, I often take words literally, esp. when there are no facial/voice tone cues.
- Arathorn 8y ago
  In Matrix the conversations really are decentralised, not federated, over the servers - they are replicated over the nodes just as you would with git or a blockchain. Meanwhile we’re actively working on running servers clientside, at which point it becomes fully p2p as well as decentralised if you want that.
  - severine 8y ago
    > we’re actively working on running servers clientside, at which point it becomes fully p2p as well as decentralised if you want that. Where can I read more about this?
  - dboreham 8y ago
    Right, I meant federated in that each user is expected to connect to a home server, not to "the network". Running the server locally on the user's device definitely changes the picture.
- ATsch 8y ago
  I think a useful way of looking at it is that the rooms are decentralized, i.e. not owned by a single server, but the user accounts are (for now).
  - thinkloop 8y ago
    > but the user accounts are (for now) aren't? If so can you explain?
    - ATsch 8y ago
      yes, I meant they aren't

krick 8y ago

Basically, because there's no alternative for a truly open, striving for security messenger software. It's imperfect, but, honestly, Matrix/Riot is as good as it gets for now. Both server and client software are open-source, and it is designed to be federated network, meaning if you don't trust their e2e encryption or whatever, you can just roll up your own server and use it to communicate with somebody. And it's pretty decent in terms of features already implemented, it's easy to write helper-bots, it has clients for all major OS. And, sadly, almost everyone still uses Telegram/Whatsapp instead, which is, I believe the main reason you (and everyone else asking) should start using it even if you don't feel like you have to, because none of your friends are currently on it.

dboreham 8y ago

It's xmpp reborn (or IRC if you're that way), with a modern feature set, so the thing you use if you want Slack but without SlackCo.

Perceptes 8y ago

I'm still very partial (obviously) to the Introduction to Matrix guide we wrote as part of Ruma's documentation: https://www.ruma.io/docs/matrix/ https://www.ruma.io/docs/matrix/