Modern XMPP project discussion - 2022-03-13

Hello everyone.

I found the group because I was in search of an XMPP client that would be a viable answer to Signal (never mind the popular and easier to use Telegram). I have been unable to find any clients that even support audio and video calls natively within the app. Huge opportunity here for playing catchup IMO

I am writing from an android phone and find that Conversations and c0nnect messengers don't quite hit the mark either.

bluejay: hey, I wonder if this is an issue anyone could us as signal is closed, right?

bluejay: which app are you trying that doesn't support calls? Conversations does

c0nnect is something I'd stay away from, personally

It says everywhere that it is open-source, but as far as I'm aware nobody has ever found any published code

The Snikket app is open-source, and aims to be a federated alternative to Signal: https://snikket.org/app/features/

The Android app is based on Conversations

> bluejay: which app are you trying that doesn't support calls? Conversations does I find I am able to receive calls on Conversations but not able to make them

If you like Signal's contact discovery, there is also Quicksy by the Conversations developer

If you can't make them (no phone icon?) then probably your contact or your server does not support them

See https://help.conversations.im/

> See https://help.conversations.im/ Thanks, it makes sense. I am trying to communicate with people who only have iOS. The best client I found for iOS was Siskin I believe, and while I made calls from Siskin to Conversations, I couldn't vice versa but will check the mutual contacts issue.

> The Snikket app is open-source, and aims to be a federated alternative to Signal: https://snikket.org/app/features/ > The Android app is based on Conversations Tried this on iOS but it seemed lacking compared to Siskin.

My biggest pain this week was not being able to set up my own Snikket server or Prosody server due to my lack of understanding of firewalls and networks.

With rhe IOS apps, its partly server dependent , where they registerd, that they receive the calls correctly.. You should be able to call siskin, if the client is in an active conversation with your android phone (app in foreground)

I think I could find adequate development funding for a team that could leapfrog Telegram and Signal, technically as well as for marketing. Telegram is just awful recently with the censorship of RT news, and who knows when the next Signal code audit is going to happen.

Unfortunately 90% of my contact list is on Telegram.

iOS is tricky, doesn't allow chat applications to stay connected in the background. Not sure if the Snikket patch to allow calling offline iOS users is in Conversations, but that was the solution afaik

> iOS is tricky, doesn't allow chat applications to stay connected in the background. Not sure if the Snikket patch to allow calling offline iOS users is in Conversations, but that was the solution again Makes sense. Testing it now again on iOS Siskin being called by conversations. Will update

For further help with Siskin may I suggest xmpp:tigase@muc.tigase.org?join

> iOS is tricky, doesn't allow chat applications to stay connected in the background. Not sure if the Snikket patch to allow calling offline iOS users is in Conversations, but that was the solution afaik Eh, tested it again. Contacts were mutually broadcasting status and added to contact list but I could only place calls from Siskin to Conversations. No need to turn this into a support channel. Will contact tigase or someone from Conversations. Thx guys

What's the direction of this discussion currently? Any key topics or ideas of focus @zash

Open sourced modern xmpp apps deserve more attention and investment.

At this exact moment, not a lot it seems. I guess activity tends to cycle between other channels for development, standarisation and here.

Does xmpp support encrypted group chats? It seems like it does, but not common implementation I think. Signal does this by default which is good.

The modern clients all support it. Its all the private groups. The one where you are not anon and mostly invite only

If you have an android with conversations, its the type of group you create as "private groupchat"

In contrast to "open channel" , like this one

Open channel are "open" so no point In encryption..

The two common xmpp implementations used are openpgp (legacy) and omemo

Signal only knows one type of groupchat, its the one close enough to the "private groupchat" in xmpp

> Signal only knows one type of groupchat, its the one close enough to the "private groupchat" in xmpp Thanks, got it. Let's get XMPP at the forefront of adoption!!