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WhatsApp seems set on introducing ads, but they won't appear in your inbox
(www.androidpolice.com)
this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2023
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I do love the idea of matrix, but it's definitely not a direct replacement for whatsapp, sadly.
How do you even search for it. What's it called ? Matrix brings up the film franchise
This is just part of the problem. Matrix is the network, but clients you use are dozens with different names like Element, FluffyChat, Neochat, Fractal, heck even Thunderbird supposedly supports Matrix. And then a huge problem with this is not every client supports every Matrix function. Like end to end encryption? Half of the clients doesn't even support this main selling point.
Does anyone else get XMPP/jabber vibes from this? Wasn't this part of why jabber never really got adopted en masse?
So is it user friendly to non devs ? I haven't been able to find information regarding it.
Any suggestions for using matrix ? Is it useful or nah ?
It's not hard to use, but it's not as "idiotproof" like whatsapp or messenger. Once you have it installed and created account somewhere like matrix.org, it's quite simple.
Main benefit is you're not feeding advertisment privacy intruding behemots with your data by using matrix.
Ok that's helpful. Anything you suggest? I pick a client and get my partner to do the same and that's it ? Then I start to get other people, my family and such to use it as well. Slowly and surely. Like with WhatsApp.
Then do they sell to highest bidder and I start over again or ?
Well, we can only hope that decentralisation is good enough argument for not selling.
So run into first issue. Picked element X. However I don't have an account. So I'm stumped. Do I need to create a matrix account first ? How do I do that ? Do I need to pick another platform or protocol first and then backtrack?
Probably a reason matrix is a small community. It's not user friendly. No chance in hell any of my friends or parents would even bother after the first roadblock
Would decides though
Why not? I never tried it so I don't know the details
Because exactly 2 peopleI know have matrix users.
I still use it, and refuse to use Whatsapp, but it takes some effort to get people over to the beautiful FOSS-side
You can set up some bridges until you have convinced others to use matrix as well (Btw. Matrix is NATO approved 😝)
Yeah, you can do a lot of things with Matrix, unless you want to post a gif, lol. The main problem is it's still far from being as user friendly as those like Messenger, Whatsapp or Telegram. Typical user doesn't really care about its privacy upper hand or it being federated, typical user see it's too complicated and nobody uses it, so he'll pass on it too. Which is sad.
The app is not less user friendly than whatsapp. It is running the server that is difficult, but average joe can just create an account at matrix.org
Yes, but explain that to average person, especially older one. It's hard, trust me, I'm dealing with this kind of people every day and unless it's extremely streamlined (as whatsapp is, cause you don't even need account name, it's your number, yay, so easy) "it's hard and I don't have time/patience for that"... sad reality unfortunately.
Fair enough.. it’s even difficult to move people to signal when it’s exactly same setup process as for WhatsApp.. I guess it’s irrational fear of change kicking in and they don’t even know themselves why exactly they don’t want to add new messengers.
Why not? What is missing?.
It's more like Slack than Whatsapp IMO. It's not so streamlined and using it on multiple devices is definitely mainly for tinkers. Or at least it was couple years ago. That cross signing through devices was everything but intuitive.
And THE feature everyone I know misses the most is giphy/tenor support, which is kind of dumb, but also really understandable. This and similar nice to have features are still lacking.
Is Matrix better for the users privacy? Definitely yes! But is it better user experience? Well, kind of almost, but not yet.
Cross signing is easy now, ether scan a QR code, or compare emojis. Multi device on Matrix is even better than WhatsApp, signal etc. because you are not forced having at least one android or iOS phone running the main instance but all instances are the same level, same as in telegram. Having threats is superior to what whatsapp offers (no threats) Well, I’m not a gif sender, so I never recognized that gif is not supported
Good to hear cross signing is now easier. I remember it was real PITA.