FOSSDLE PieFedMatrix let-down
submitted by
stravanasu
edited
I've been trying to use Matrix to replace sites like Discord or Slack. But it seems that if a user creates an invitation-only room in a server, then invited users who are registered on other servers get errors when trying to join. Not very useful error messages either: "Failed to join room". (In my case, I tried creating accounts and rooms at nitro.chat and then at converser.eu, but friends registered at matrix.org don't manage to join).
Quite a let-down. Anyone who's facing the same problem and has maybe managed to solve it?
Have you tried wormhole?
Never heard of it.
Check it out. A lot of the systems like Discord Etc limit file sizes so vigorously. Because they operate like men in the middle. Can you send them the file first. Then whoever you're sending it to can download it from them. It's adding extra steps to the whole thing. With something like Wormhole you can even link a file from your phone. As long as you are on Wi-Fi and not going to be chewing through data minutes LOL. All the app does is connect the end points. Once they're connected then you send the file directly to whomever you want. And the only limits on file sizes are realistically at the endpoints.
I mean there are dozens of sites like this. I can host my own media on my server and share it with a link. Except the "extra steps" you're referring to are all done automatically on the backend (the submitter just clicks "upload" and selects the file and the recipients just click the play button) and the "extra steps" required here and manual and annoying. In the case of Discord or similar.
The site isn't hosting the file. Sure you can host your own FTP etc. But there is a lot of security risks and vulnerabilities that arise because of that. You can even host your own Magic wormhole. It's under MIT license. Just have to open the ports Etc. It should however theoretically have a lot less attack surface than HTTP FTP and similar protocols. Nothing is invulnerable of course.
According to the site, it is:
Not that it matters, because none of that is the problem. Hosting my own media on my own server is much more convenient than p2p transfers and equally secure. The problem is the "extra steps" require to transfer files this way.
It's simply acting as a connector. And directing traffic around Nat Etc for lay people or those who don't want to bother with setting up and securing server software or such things. Unless of course I'm completing the two and they aren't related. It's possible I suppose. But I've used the app a couple of times. And I don't ever remember having to sit and wait for a file upload. It was instant. Like the file being hashed and info being generated. Then slapping you with a QR code or a string to give to the person you're sending it to Initiate the transfer