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Riot is now Element

element.io

101–110 of 375 posts

Re: Riot is now Element

#101
post #72
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This comment section is remarkable. If the name change is perceived to be in order to be welcoming to corporate, nobody has a problem with that. Imagine if the name change was perceived to be in order to be more welcoming to underrepresented people. We would have endless discussions about pc culture, and how the name is not bad at all, etc...

Do you have an example of when a name change has generated such discussions?

[deleted]

Re: Riot is now Element

#102
post #85

No!!! Of all the names in the world why this. "Hey bro, let's chat on Element" ,not quite a ring to it. The hardest problem in computer science strikes again! Matrix,Riot and Libolm are epic projects, I wish them all the success but man, even Riot was a hard sell as a brand. I would seriously be dissapointed if it loses popularity over this. I don't think the project maintainers understand that their core users/fans…

I actually don't like "Signal" either, because it's such a common word that it makes it hard to search for it online. "Telegram" is marginally better, since original telegrams are not very relevant today.

But yeah Element is arguably even worse, it's a super common noun and it doesn't seem to have anything to do with communication.

But in the end these naming discussions are always going to end up as bikeshedding. If the tech is good it'll probably manage to be successful despite its mediocre name.

Re: Riot is now Element

#103
post #19

Speaking of names, I'm upset that the username I go by is taken. I'm echelon @ { gmail, HN, Twitter, Github, Gitlab, Square Cash, etc }, but found Riot / Matrix just a few months too late to get my username. I'm not satisfied with the "just stand up your own server" response as an alternative. I know it's cutting off my nose, but I've avoided using it because of this. I'm OCD about stupid usernames. I wish unused use…

Pick a more unique user name. echelonhelicopter, for example

I made up a name for an RPG character, and then started using it across the internet.

Then I found out that someone else had already made the name a few years before me and was already doing that.

Even unique names that aren't at all dictionary words are at risk of collision. I think the smarter tactic is to accept that you won't get that same nickname everywhere, and just have a few alternatives that you'll use if necessary. Complaining to the masses that a name is already taken isn't going to work.

Re: Riot is now Element

#104
post #97
post #85

No!!! Of all the names in the world why this. "Hey bro, let's chat on Element" ,not quite a ring to it. The hardest problem in computer science strikes again! Matrix,Riot and Libolm are epic projects, I wish them all the success but man, even Riot was a hard sell as a brand. I would seriously be dissapointed if it loses popularity over this. I don't think the project maintainers understand that their core users/fans…

Signal and Telegram are more obvious, yes, but it's not like unrelated or unique names couldn't work. Slack comes to mind. Or, I seek you?

ICQ has a quirky meaning to it,once you get it,it's like what you use when you seek someone (not really but the mental association is there). Slack? Not sure, it's popular in tech but I've only used it when I have no other choice but I associated it with slacking off (as in when you want to talk informally relax and talk non-work) or having slack (break or headroom),so when someone says let's chat on Slack, I think of a fun interaction that is more akin to taking a break.

But to your point, the only good thing about Skype for example is few syllables and messaging related graphics/logo for me.

Re: Riot is now Element

#105
post #92

After various HN threads about this company, and taking a tour on the element.io website, I'm still not sure what this is about to be honest. I understand it's a chat app, but - The pricing is really confusing (seems like the app is free, but having an account is paying ?). - Is this a professional thing, like slack, or more of a whatsapp-like thing ? Trying to do both ? The whole differentation point seems to be bas…

Matrix is a decentralised e2e-encrypted chat protocol (similar model to email) that you can self-host and is all free software. Encryption is between devices so the homeserver doesn't see the contents, but if you self-host then only the homeservers involved in the chat ever see your encrypted messages -- this is in contrast to centralised services like Signal where everything goes through one entity. You can create a free account on Matrix.org and it works perfectly fine.

But you're quite right that most users might not care about that (though a fair number of people care about having control over their data, which Matrix gives them since you can self-host a federated server).

Element is now an umbrella brand for several things:

* The most widely used cross-platform Matrix client (used to be called Riot and even further back was called Vector).

* A paid service where they will host a Matrix homeserver for you (used to be called Modular). This is what all of the pricing plans you saw are talking about. Unless you want to host your own server and don't want to manage it yourself, this isn't relevant for you.

* The legal entity which hired people to develop those things as well as contribute to Matrix (used to be called VectorLabs).

This isn't really that big of an announcement, Matrix has existed for at least 5 years now and I've been using it for a while. It's just that a common complaint (the scatter-brained branding) is being resolved by giving a single name to all of these parts (save Matrix -- the protocol -- which is keeping its name).

Re: Riot is now Element

#107
post #90
post #85

No!!! Of all the names in the world why this. "Hey bro, let's chat on Element" ,not quite a ring to it. The hardest problem in computer science strikes again! Matrix,Riot and Libolm are epic projects, I wish them all the success but man, even Riot was a hard sell as a brand. I would seriously be dissapointed if it loses popularity over this. I don't think the project maintainers understand that their core users/fans…

Tbh, I don't see any problems with the name? I like it.

I like it. +1

Riot has a political connotation. It's good not to have to try and sell to other people that you're on "riot".

Re: Riot is now Element

#108
post #100
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tbh, I don't see any problems with the name? I like it.

May I ask if you are a native english user and what country? Perhaps the branding works for EU markets? Element has nothing to do with messaging. In my example,signal has something to do with communication(signaling),telegram is obvious, whatsapp is what you say when you talk to someone like 'hello'(what is up?). Element sounds like something I hear about in a chemistry class. It also has to be catchy. At least Riot…

Most EU languages have the word element too, with the chemistry/physics meaning.

Re: Riot is now Element

#109
post #100
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tbh, I don't see any problems with the name? I like it.

May I ask if you are a native english user and what country? Perhaps the branding works for EU markets? Element has nothing to do with messaging. In my example,signal has something to do with communication(signaling),telegram is obvious, whatsapp is what you say when you talk to someone like 'hello'(what is up?). Element sounds like something I hear about in a chemistry class. It also has to be catchy. At least Riot…

You can also use https://dittochat.org or https://fluffychat.im

Re: Riot is now Element

#110
post #92

After various HN threads about this company, and taking a tour on the element.io website, I'm still not sure what this is about to be honest. I understand it's a chat app, but - The pricing is really confusing (seems like the app is free, but having an account is paying ?). - Is this a professional thing, like slack, or more of a whatsapp-like thing ? Trying to do both ? The whole differentation point seems to be bas…

Matrix is the protocol, Element is a client to access Matrix which it does so via a matrix homeserver (which then federates across the rest of the Matrix).

So Element is free to use, but there are a range of servers to choose from. The matrix.org server is free to use, though as the largest single instance on the public federation is run on a best effort basis.

Alternatives are to either host your own server, or have someone else do that for you. The payment plans that you are looking at reference Element Matrix Services (EMS) which is a SaaS offering allowing you to spin up your own server to be used by whoever you choose to give access to (friends/colleagues etc). The advantages being that you get grater control of your data and improved performance.

Using email as an analogy

Matrix = Email matrix.org / Matrix Hosted Services/ some other server = Fastmail/Gmail/Hotmail etc Element = Thunderbird

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