Build an open source chat service…

Open Source@lemmy.ml – 11 points – 1 years ago

Do you think that it’s possible to build a web service to chat compatible with email , xmpp and matrix?
(and why not even with activityPub or rocketChat ?? )

[exemple and why in the post...]

You are viewing a single comment

View all comments

I've wondered before now about an e-mail system which hosts the emails on one's own device, and uses the activity-pub protocol : decentralised email, I guess...

The closest I've seen is Tox.

E-mail is already decentralised

They're kept on other people's servers, is what I meant.

You can run your own mail server and keep your emails on a device you control instead of e.g., gmail.

It's non-trivial so most people stick with letting someone else handle it. Just like you're probably not running your own Lemmy instance, but Lemmy is still decentralized.

Hehe You answered your own statement! If it were ever to become non-trivial : I'd certainly do it (even though I know people who do, are bombarded with spam).

https://mailinabox.email/

:) Thank you. Yes Mail in a box has been around for a while. Still not straightforward, though.

Skill issue

The problem with peer2peer messaging is:

Though several apps that use the Tox protocol seem similar in function to regular instant messaging apps, the lack of central servers similar to XMPP or Matrix currently has the consequence that both parties of the chat need to be online for the message to be sent and received (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tox_(protocol)#Usability_as_an_instant_messenger )

That's why I think about using only decentralized protocol.

Both (decentralized and p2p) are usefull, but that not the same usage.

Yes... I guess if someone were to only use Tox, the device they were using it on would have to be on all the time, with one of the Tox clients running at least in the background.

Addendum At least you know when the other person is online... There's some advantage to that.

2 more...