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NovaChat: Multi-Network Chat

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Re: NovaChat: Multi-Network Chat

#81

Post by Nextgrid »

cyphar wrote: post #52
GekkePrutser wrote: post #43

Cool, I'm running a Matrix service like this myself but it's been a bit hit and miss. Keeping all those different bridges running over time is difficult. Especially the signal one is a real PITA, often contacts stop getting my messages from matrix while I still get theirs. And Whatsapp requires whatsapp web so you need to keep the client running on your phone 24/7 or run it in an Android VM which is pretty heavy. And…

> Keeping all those different bridges running over time is difficult. The issue is that most of the services Matrix tries to bridge to are basically hostile entities (except IRC and Slack). I'm honestly shocked how well Matrix bridging works when you take that into consideration -- and unsurprisingly the Slack and IRC bridges are the nicest ones to use. But I will admit that I think Matrix's marketing around bridging…

I'm not sure I agree with it. The hostility of the services is one thing, but regardless of that there's definitely a lack of UX around "tunneling" into third-party accounts.

Most bridges require your own session on the third-party service (sometimes provided by a session cookie in the config file) and then invite you to a private room for each conversation through that service. There is no concept of a login UI for a third-party service, nor is there a concept of "ghost" users for third-party service users (let's say I have a friend that is both on Matrix as well as IRC and Signal - I want him to be considered as a single entity on the UI, and no need to have "rooms" for one-to-one chats with third-party users.

Re: NovaChat: Multi-Network Chat

#82

Post by mxuribe »

danicgross wrote: post #55

Between this, Mastodon, Matrix, and others, I feel like we're witnessing the end of the centralized web era (everyone uses one network), and the return to a distributed Internet (lots of different services) with aggregators (Adium or NovaChat). The recent Twitch/Reddit/Twitter bans should only magnify this effect. Congrats Eric! I'm very excited to use this.

I agree! While maybe it won't be everyone , it does feel like there's a cracking of positive energy around these decentralized, or at least federated efforts.

Re: NovaChat: Multi-Network Chat

#83

Post by peterburkimsher »

lozaning wrote: post #69
el_dev_hell wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope that's the case, but I have trouble seeing a future where centralized applications (mostly Facebook, Instagram, and iMessage) will be thrown aside by the masses. People still use Facebook after multiple proven privacy scandals. If that doesn't push people off the platform, what will?

An alternative with a strong existing network effect. I dont really use FB at all anymore, but Im not on Mastodon et al because no one else I know is. It's a bad catch 22.

BeWelcome.org is trying hard to get that "critical mass". I won't explain the whole history of CouchSurfing demanding membership fees and locking people out of accounts, because I don't want to complain. The focus within the community is about volunteering and building a new future together. It's primarily about letting people stay in each others' houses for free, yet there's more to the community that just hosting and being a guest.

It's a very international group, with real-life weekly meetups in several cities. The management structure is like Wikipedia/Wikimedia. The website itself needs a lot of work though.

If BeWelcome gets the network effect it needs, I'm very hopeful that BeVolunteer could start more projects. (BeBook? BeMail? BeChat?)

Re: NovaChat: Multi-Network Chat

#84

Post by figers »

erohead wrote: post #26
myu701 wrote: post #15

2 things. 1) much better name for a matrix client than the others, Nova sounds cool. 2) $10/month is more than Disney+ per month. Could there be the option to accept a $5/month for desktop only and a separate $5/month for mobile? Then a combined $10/month for both? Massive kudos on it looking good (even if electron) and doing Matrix stuff nicely. I will be watching this closely, especially when Signal is ready to go.

If you don't want to pay, you can always spin up our entire system on your own server. One way is to use Matrix-Docker-Ansible https://github.com/spantaleev/matrix-docker-ansible-deploy It is finnicky though. If you promise to give me good feedback and bug reports, sign up for the beta and I will waive the fee though!

I'd be happy to provide that to waive the monthly fee, I just filled out your form...

Would love to have iMessage working from my windows computer

Re: NovaChat: Multi-Network Chat

#85

Post by runawaybottle »

cbm-vic-20 wrote: post #80
erohead wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would love to learn more about pidgin and ecosystem of bridges. Let me know if you're interested in chatting! I funded development of 7 open-source Matrix bridges so far. I would love to contribute more to the community of those trying to liberate the chat world.

The current maintainer of Pidgin livestreams several times week on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/rw_grim

He live streams himself coding? Any other notable people? I know Notch did so once upon a time.

Re: NovaChat: Multi-Network Chat

#86

Post by smt88 »

lowmemcpu wrote: post #33

> NovaChat is a paid app with a monthly fee of $10 (price may go up after beta period) Wow $10/mo?! Pidgin was the multi-network chat tool, and was free! I'd understand $10 one-time, but not per month. And the price may go up? No thanks

The $10 price tag is a huge selling point for me. It signals a few things:

1) It's less likely to be abandoned.

2) It has less (hopefully no) incentive to secretly monetize me or my data.

3) Instead of being a side project for a handful of people, this has the potential to be the full-time project for at least one person.

I was a heavy Pidgin user too, and when you're in an arms race with Google, Facebook, etc. (all of whom are trying to keep their gardens walled in), the work becomes too much for volunteers. Much of it is not rewarding.

Pidgin was gradually and quietly abandoned, so I'm not excited about the prospect of using something that has a similar fate.

Re: NovaChat: Multi-Network Chat

#87

Post by memexy »

c-smile wrote: post #66

While we are on this page... If someone need my help in creating native Chat UI please let me know, I can help to do it with Sciter: https://terrainformatica.com/2019/09/23/sciter-chat/ It could be purely native application or something along the lines of Sciter Quark ( https://quark.sciter.com )

Sciter engine looks interesting. Do you know of good resources for learning how to use it? Like tutorials.

Re: NovaChat: Multi-Network Chat

#88

Post by memexy »

koiz wrote: post #48

Why are we repeating the past!

It's not repetition though. It's more like a spiral. I like modern chat apps better. My parents and brother can use Signal but they never could use the previous solutions. Plus, vibrant ecosystems are a good thing. Having several chat applications that compete on features is a good thing.

Re: NovaChat: Multi-Network Chat

#89

Post by smt88 »

granitDev wrote: post #14

I'm not sure why this is needed...looks to me like a solution in search of a problem.

I could not disagree more. This is a probably for me almost every waking hour. Perhaps this is a US-centric problem, but I have groups of friends on WhatsApp (mostly foreign), Hangouts, MMS/SMS, Telegram, and Messenger. Then there's Slack for work.

Ever since my Blackberry had my emails, SMS, and BBMs (iMessage-like service for BlackBerry users) all in the same inbox with threads, I have been dying for a service where I can just say, "I want to send a message to [person]," and let the app decide how to contact them or continue my existing thread.

I have paid for Franz and Station, both of which were unusable garbage, and now use Hamsket (a fork or Rambox)[1].

1. https://github.com/TheGoddessInari/hamsket

Re: NovaChat: Multi-Network Chat

#90

Post by c-smile »

memexy wrote: post #87
c-smile wrote: post #66

While we are on this page... If someone need my help in creating native Chat UI please let me know, I can help to do it with Sciter: https://terrainformatica.com/2019/09/23/sciter-chat/ It could be purely native application or something along the lines of Sciter Quark ( https://quark.sciter.com )

Sciter engine looks interesting. Do you know of good resources for learning how to use it? Like tutorials.

https://sciter.com/tutorials/
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