What fediverse service is the best messenger replacement?
Does Friendica for instances, have something like Facebook Messenger going on? What would be the best for real time communication on both phone and desktop?
Messengers are the archetypal example of software that has to deal with the network effect. IMO we don't have the luxury of trying and using lots of FOSS messengers and never picking a winner. At some point there has to be only one left if we want anyone to use it.
I wouldn't care if I had to use multiple messanger apps. There used to be a pc program that let you login to msn, irc, and yahoo messanger all at once and manage your accounts in one place.
Yes, it was called Pidgin. But things become more complex when you add E2E encryption. The ideal destination is a single agreed protocol, just like one exists for things like telephones, the web, and email.
That's what it was supposed to solve, but in practice it's used very rarely because it requires running your own server for the puppets, and few people are going to do that.
Sup is one. It's from the dev of Pixelfed.
Unlike the other non-fediverse platforms the others mentioned here (XMPP and Matrix), it will use the ActivityPub protocol and will be E2EE.
Frankly, I don't like dansup and his cocky behaviour. But if Sup ever does become reality, then it will be a real alternative.
And no, Loops is not federated.
Matrix or XMPP. Personally I’d go with Matrix. World’s on fire and Matrix is encrypted by default.
A couple days ago, I stumbled into an interesting take on Matrix without the setup barriers: https://letsconvene.im/
Messengers are the archetypal example of software that has to deal with the network effect. IMO we don't have the luxury of trying and using lots of FOSS messengers and never picking a winner. At some point there has to be only one left if we want anyone to use it.
The frontrunner candidate is Matrix.
I wouldn't care if I had to use multiple messanger apps. There used to be a pc program that let you login to msn, irc, and yahoo messanger all at once and manage your accounts in one place.
Pidgin… which still exists
Holy moly, I didn't know that Pidgin is open-source! Maybe I'll reconsider it...
Yes, it was called Pidgin. But things become more complex when you add E2E encryption. The ideal destination is a single agreed protocol, just like one exists for things like telephones, the web, and email.
For group chat, I'd agree, but Matrix is awful for 1:1 chat. The encryption is a PITA, confusing, and, by now, I'm convinced it will always be.
Sad if true. I don't see it being practical to tell people to use different apps depending on the number of interlocutors.
That's what it was supposed to solve, but in practice it's used very rarely because it requires running your own server for the puppets, and few people are going to do that.
Sup is one. It's from the dev of Pixelfed. Unlike the other non-fediverse platforms the others mentioned here (XMPP and Matrix), it will use the ActivityPub protocol and will be E2EE.
sounds like a vanity project has half his name and should that man really be spreading himself more thin, is loops even federated
Frankly, I don't like dansup and his cocky behaviour. But if Sup ever does become reality, then it will be a real alternative. And no, Loops is not federated.
XMPP, all modern clients support OMEMo E2E encryption out of the box. Works on all platforms.