Element1d ago

💚 Belgium has launched Beam, its nationwide Matrix-based communications platform!

🪧 Digitally sovereign communications need to be adopted sustainably to ensure the success of digital commons.

https://element.io/blog/governments-need-to-adopt-matrix-responsibly/

Governments need to adopt Matrix responsibly

It’s great to see another European government, this time Belgium, using the Matrix open standard as the foundation for digitally sovereign communications. Matrix enables digital sovereignty through decentralisation, self-hosting and interoperability. As a result, it gives governments full control over their data and operations.  By choosing Matrix, Belgium ensures

Element Blog
Show threadYonggan
@element I think as long it isnt easily possible to move my account to another matrix server, matrix also has vendor lockin
Mar 25 at 10:30amWeb
Show threadElement1d ago

Hi @Yonggan

Matrix is an open standard. It’s not a vendor, and has no vendor lock-in.

If you self-host (as govts do), then it’s simple to move your server to different underlying infrastructure.

If you’re using a hosted service: Any decent paid hosting service should let you take your data with you, so there’s rarely a lock-in from paid hosting services.

Show threadElement1d ago

@Yonggan

The concept of moving an account from one homeserver to another (‘account portability’) falls squarely in the vision of Matrix.

Lack of funding means it hasn't been completed yet.

This is precisely the type of stuff that gets made if govts support upstream vendors by buying the commercial product and support the overall project.

Show threadElement1d ago

@Yonggan

Of course it’s worth mentioning as well that you can use any client to access your account on most servers, today.

Show threadYonggan1d ago
@element if moving my account is not in the vision of matrix i dont understand whats your vision in general? I understand that you try to get more money, and thats totally necessary in a capitalist system. But the thing is that if you dont make a product that techies like to brag about you wont make it far.

I am not a hater and i want you to keep your good work on. I really like matrix and i would really enjoy it if there werent fundamental quirks since years that directly impact the user experience while using matrix. My limited point of view is that Element and Matrix have lost the focus on the important things.

Funding is important. I know that and i understand that you need to money to move forward. But as long as the user experience is not getting better matrix will not make it. And one important thing for the user experience in federated networks that we see directly in the fediverse is that you can move your account. I know its cryptographically way more complex than on the activitypub based fediverse. But i dont think its impossible. I dont want to be the guy who "knows better" from the outside without knowing whats behind. But i want to give you a honest feedback of the things that normies care about and what they think of why they actively not use matrix based software especially Element. Don't get me wrong. There was good progress the last years. Bur there is still a long way to go before i would again recommend matrix to my non techie friends, because the last time i did some years ago it was not feasable to keep them using matrix.
Show threadElement1d ago

@Yonggan

It is in the vision. ;-)

We wrote:

"The concept of moving an account from one homeserver to another (‘account portability’) falls squarely in the vision of Matrix.

"Lack of funding means it hasn't been completed yet."

Which is why it would be helpful if governments using Matrix also supported the project financially.

When that happens, it'll unlock lots more development.

Show threadYonggan21h ago
@element sorry i misunderstood you. Thats nice to hear.