Oddbean new post about | logout
 I love XMPP but the lack of a standard fully featured client available for all major platforms is the reason it can be a little challenging to onboard normies, so I end up recommending Matrix instead in only 2 short & simple steps that works regardless of their OS:

1. Install app:
https://element.io/download

2. Connect: https://matrix.to/#/@islamicaudiobooks:matrix.org

 
 from the cock.li help page:

Using XMPP
How do I use XMPP?
    With an XMPP client. You log in with your cock.li credentials and it just werks
  What's a good XMPP client?
    They're all garbage. 
 but then I also refuse to run a matrix server because of what graf posted:


matrix-synapse, the server software for the matrix stores every single thing a user account/device does in every room in two tables called state events. so if you opened or closed your matrix client on your phone while in this room, the matrix server has a record of that. if you changed your avatar, or your username. if you joined or left the room. it saves all that data. for everybody in every room the server is in. 

so rooms like matrixHQ that have ~50k users in it, it's storing all that data for 50k users since march 2021.

now, that's not the only room thats an issue. there's rooms like the genshin impact room where somebody decided it was a wise idea to bridge the matrix room and a telegram channel with several thousand users, so now that matrix room is full of several thousand telegram bots also keeping tabs on those telegram users on/offline status, their name changes, their profile changes

it's the worst designed protocol i think ive ever seen 
 We can't blame the protocol for server software or client apps. It's an open protocol so people are free to make their own apps. There's the Conduit matrix server software for example developed by people outside the Matrix Foundation. Does it also have the same issue as Synapse?