IMO the main advantage that Matrix-Element has for normal users is the branding: Element is Element on the web, Android and iOS.

I agree, though Delta Chat has this too, it’s the same on linux/mac/win, android, and iOS. There’s also Arcane Chat for android developed by one of the devs of Delta Chat as sort of a testing ground but that’s like an if you know you know thing, like my mom just thinks we’re all on Delta Chat. One thing is they don’t have a web interface afaik, you need the app.

Simple user+password login to a hosted (non-matrixdotorg) server takes 5-6 pages to click through.

And the recovery passwords and all that just seem to be out of reach for those who just use hunter2 for everything, if the complaints I got are indicative if most people.

I was spammed with racist copypasta on XMPP once too. But being in large Matrix chats guarantees being invited/messaged.

Good news for Delta Chat is they don’t really do groups like that, you can group chat but it’s more for like friends and family than strangers, I see that as a win in this use case, where if we need xmpp/matrix style public groups we can fall back to xmpp. You also have to accept chats before they go through and there is no discoverability so you won’t get random drive bys.

They no longer recommend using a traditional email account, instead recommending chatmail servers like these (there’s more as well, but they have this small list to choose from in the app or you can bring your own). They say if you have to use traditional email use a dedicated account for delta chat, not one that also gets traditional email.

I like how they are trying to address metadata as much as possible, the onboarding is so easy my literal mother can do it, video/audio calling is in beta and works pretty well (some glitches, but it’s in beta), the webXDC stuff is cool but I don’t really use it yet, and I’m sure I’m forgetting something.

Personally I like XMPP over Matrix because

• Matrix clients aren’t great (even element is buggy as piss on my phone and a shitty electron app on linux)
• Matrix is too difficult for “normal” people (I agree they should get good but they don’t and what good is a chat app without recipients).
• Matrix public rooms have a CP problem, and as such I can’t recommend people join it just in case, I don’t need my mom seeing that shit.
• Matrix was started as an Amdocs project before they defunded it and the lead dev went to form The Matrix Foundation. Amdocs is a Mossad affiliated company that infiltrated American telcom companies long ago. Matrix also pisses metadata to any server it federates with, including matrix [.] org, and I have no proof that Mossad is spying on that metadata but I have no trust either, nor proof that they aren’t, so I can’t trust matrix anymore.

Though XMPP also has had it’s own problems for me, so at the moment it’s my fallback and I’m trying out Delta Chat which I have been loving.

Tbh even if I could I wouldn’t want to, the terminal is so much better for many things. I advise new users to become comfortable with it at least by following along with a few “linux terminal basics” vids like it’s a class.

Yeh

Hey kids you like plain text files right?

Me, who grew up reading/referencing text files daily on gamefaqs for cheats, secrets/eggs, and walkthroughs when stuck on various games: Yeh.