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Every time Matrix is brought up here, the federation and open spec is criticised as being too slow moving compared to Signal's BDFL approach. Well, this is what
by Macha 6y ago
Every time Matrix is brought up here, the federation and open spec is criticised as being too slow moving compared to Signal's BDFL approach. Well, this is what happens when the interests of the BDFL and community diverge. If New Vector decided to fuck up Element on the other hand, you could just move to a new client and not deal with marketing a network move to your social network.
- hnarn 6y ago> the federation and open spec is criticised as being too slow To be fair I don't think that the slowness and complexity is being put forward as an example of why Matrix is "bad", but rather as an example of why it can't compete with Signal for "normal" users — and if you want to create something that competes with Messenger, Whatsapp or Snapchat, you need to put "normal" users first, it can't be an afterthought.
- rectang 6y agoWhat stops a Matrix client producer from putting "normal" users first? Is it that all such producers plan to do something evil once they have enough users locked in, which an open protocol like Matrix would impede? Or is it that the protocol is not yet mature enough? In which case, a deliberate approach to evolving the spec may be for the best so long as it eventually gets to where it needs to be? A couple years ago the Riot client was unusable on Mac. Now Element seems to be fine. Why won't it continue to get better?
- kubanczyk 6y ago> you need to put "normal" users first Normal users primarily want what their peers already use for communication. Hence a power user who is able to use two messengers and switch between them has a disproportionately big market impact. /s
- ddevault 6y agoMatrix being slow has a lot more to do with their crappy implementation than it has to do with the nature of a federated network.