Giving Up on Element & Matrix.org

The Matrix.org network has great potential, but after years of dealing with glitches, slow performance, poor UX, and one too many failures, I’m done with it.

マリウス

The thing is… What alternatives are there? Signal can’t be trusted (on the very same website there is an article about it). I’m not using closed source alternatives, Simplex is kinda shady too tbh and I’m not even sure I could get anyone to use it.

I don’t like Matrix/Element either but sadly its the best open source chat solution we have.

Why don’t people trust Signal?

Signal itself is solid. For now. The issue is that signal is a centralized infrastructure service that is based in the US.

While it’s rather unlikely that something shady is going on and the current administration manages to pressure someone into installing back doors without anyone noticing, there is a growing chance that at some point the Orange Hitler or his cronies aim at Signal - and simply shut the whole thing down in a single sweep.

Which would mean the whole thing is lost - in theory they of course could rebuild a foundation outside the US, but that would also mean they need people not residing in the US (not like Proton which claims to operate from Switzerland and in reality are US based) and find funding there - enough funding to cover the costs and that is not impeded by US pressure.

This is the scenario that makes Signal a problematic candidate - and sadly the foundation is doing nothing against it.