PX4 > Matrix migration thread

About

As a follow up to PX4 Slack -> Discord migration thread, it is important to evaluate also an open-source platform we can migrate to.

What is Matrix?

Matrix is an Open-Source messaging protocol.

How to use Matrix

Check out this article to learn how to setup your Matrix account using Element Web UI.

Basically:

  1. In Element create your account under matrix.org (I recommend tying it to your Google sign-in, as you don’t need to remember another password :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:)
  2. Then click the link below, to join the PX4 test space
  3. Have fun!

What is Element.io?

Element is a private company that provides user interface to the Matrix Server & protocol. They act as a middle-man and allows you to use Matrix.

Who uses Matrix?

Well, more people than you think! Few examples include:

  1. Raspberry Pi
  2. GStreamer
  3. Firefox developers

Join the PX4’s Matrix Test Space!

This is what it looks like:

Features

  • Send files
  • React to messages
  • Send voice memos
  • Send locations (?!)

Voice calls are still not officially adopted, but was launched as beta in March, 2022!

You can find the source for the voice call here: GitHub - vector-im/element-call: Group calls powered by Matrix

Cool thing about Matrix

You can add rooms (equivalent to ‘channel’ in Slack) from Other Spaces (equivalent to ‘servers’ in Slack)! Here, I have added Raspberry Pi Forum’s general group chat to the PX4 workspace.

You could imagine adding other organizations like this to the PX4 space (‘server’), which would allow quite an interesting dynamic between different teams.

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FYI @JonasVautherin @rroche @mwbb

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Thanks Junwoo for listing them down. The thing made me a bit hesitant to use Matrix was the whole user experience. Seems like a bit limited compared to Slack.

How so? For the features I use in Slack, they are all in Matrix (note that the threads are in beta, but coming). Matrix has more features:

  • There are more clients, so one is not forced to use the ElectronJS Slack Desktop thingy if they don’t want to.
  • For an open source community, it’s actually pretty cool to be federated there. PX4 would just be a “space” (a group of rooms) in the Matrix federation. People asking beginner questions in Python, for instance, could be redirected to an actual Python room, etc.

Two questions:

  1. What do you have in Slack that you did not find in Matrix?
  2. Did you try joining the test space Junwoo created (pretty sure you did not, I don’t see you there :wink:)

Thanks Jonas for your precious comment.

I joined with Elements very first time we planned it though.
First limitation was lack of having threads. Maybe I don know how to use them. Maybe Quoting each one’s text?

I did not join the space Junwoo created as well cause of this guy :grimacing:

What is your Matrix account? (@matrix.org) I can try to manually add you there and check the error, since for now I can’t figure out what’s wrong in the Server Settings :thinking:

That was a while ago, spaces and threads did not exist yet :laughing:.

Are you registered on the homeserver Ramon shared with us back then? I think nobody maintains it, so it probably predates spaces and threads. Just join matrix.org.

It is correct that if we wanted to host our own server, we would need to maintain it (just like any server). But I would rather just create a space in the matrix.org server. That’s free, always up-to-date, and we would not have to maintain anything.

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farhangnaderi is my ID @junwoo0914

Hmm, you have some points here, true. I will see if Junwoo can add me.

farhangnaderi@matrix.org? :sweat:

maybe? this is what I am seeing:

farhangnaderi:matrix.org