#Signal vs #Wire vs #XMPP vs #Ring vs #Tox (vs #Telegram) vs etc.
The world of open source / libre instant messaging aka chat (excluding/including audio/video calls), is a mess! There are many good alternatives, but they are all little islands suffering from a negative network effect. So why not make them federate?! Is that even possible?!
Before you start about #Matrix, I see that (at this moment) more as an IRC/Slack replacement.
@paulfree14 I've heard about XMPP<>Matrix bridges, but they are still in alpha. And as said, I see Matrix not as an instant messaging / chat replacement (more Slack+IRC), although bridging/federating with the mentioned projects would also be great of course.
No I'm more talking about federating the ones I mentioned (the WhatsApp alternatives), and yes that includes XMPP. I left out #Briar, cause that's a completely different concept.
@jeroenpraat @paulfree14 Honest question. Don't you think this would be a nightmare encryption-wise? I mean, XMPP alone is already fractured around the OTR vs OMEMO encryption protocols. Imagine if you add some more comunications and encryption protocols in this mix?
@absor70 It's not really about encryption (most mentioned services already use encryption standards), but about communication protocols.
@absor70 Actually the same as with federation between different social network projects. But I must admit, I'm more of a thinker, than a coder. 😉
@jeroenpraat
I agree! Too confusing for the average person.
Wire will be federated in near future:
@eo correct. Sorry :/
@eo @jeroenpraat signal and wire won't federate because they don't want to. At the same time federation, the distribution of power across a network, is what will make a messengers work on the long term. Otherwise you read about snowden II and signal in a couple of years and everybody is searching for the next alternative all over again.
https://homebrewserver.club/have-you-considered-the-alternative.html
xmpp as an ecosystem has *many* other challenges, but they got the federation right.
@rra
Yeah, they don't want too. They like staying on their little island, competing which each other in a relatively small target group. If they would federate, the network effect would isn't less an obstacle, and they can start compete with features only.
As you said, XMPP has its challenges, although with OMEMO they did a step into the right direction.
@eo
@jeroenpraat @eo i think it is not only malevolence on their part though. In a way an application in a federation is only as good as the worst part part of the ecosystem. That is what is plagueing xmpp atm. So choosing not to federate is also a way of being able to guarantee a high quality user experience, without being dependent on factors outside of your control.
@jeroenpraat
thought there is some federation happening. xmpp rooms can federate with matrix rooms. (yes you need to bridge them)
I've saw someone federating whats app with xmpp, in specific movim.