Introducing premium accounts to fund the matrix.org homeserver
matrix.org
Matrix, the open protocol for secure decentralised communications
  • javiwhite@feddit.ukEnglish
    3·
    6 hours ago

    I’ve spun a few matrix servers, most with authentication services which allow the setup of upstream providers (IE: login with GitHub/Microsoft etc) id say the best place to get started is with the Element docker demo .

    It’s not perfect, there’s actually a few issues I ran into with the init scripts; but it helped me understand the key components to a server setup, and more importantly, it generates the majority of secrets/API keys etc in the right places, so you don’t have to.

    The smallest server I’ve run was on a single core vCPU, 2gb ram, 50gb HDD vps, that server was able to federate and served a group of around 5 of us for about 3 months without any issues (at which point I expanded) we would use it for texting as well as a voice channel replacement for discord.

    If someone reads this and wants a cheat sheet for matrix components; here’s a quick start on what each container is used for:

    Essential:
    Synapse - the matrix homeserver.
    Postgres - the database server.

    Great to have:
    Mas - authentication service used to provide upstream identification
    Redis - authentication service cache.
    Livekit - modern alternative to the inbuilt jitsi video calls
    Livekit-jwt - token provider for livekit.

    Tools:
    Element-web: a hosted web client capable of using element call (livekit) or jitsi call (built into synapse)… Most people will likely default to either mobile or desktop apps however, so definitely only host this if your VPS is beefy.

    Finally; if you’re really just wanting a closed off instance for you and a few friends. You can ultimately just spin up a synapse server, with nothing else. Your server will use an insecure sqlite dB (anyone with access to the VPS can theoretically access the database); but it comes with jitsi call built in, and will handle a small group of people with no issues.

  • Hirom@beehaw.org
    8·
    12 hours ago

    That sounds reasonable assuming it’s instance-specific and is a function of hosting cost.

    Any instance should be able to set a price to help pay the bills.

  • glitching@lemmy.ml
    4·
    13 hours ago

    again, as with telegram, the shit I give zero fucks about (the groups, rooms, channels, whathaveyous) are encroaching on the things I give a ton of fucks about - the private, 1-on-1 comms. what are the odds this will be the only thing they’ll freemiumise in the long term?

    anyone successfully managed to import chat history from one instance to another? heard it’s possible, don’t know of anyone actually doing it.

    • surjomukhi@lemmygrad.ml
      1·
      4 hours ago

      While your concern is valid, it is instance specific. They can turn their whole instance paid, make it pay per message. The point of federation and an open standard is exactly that the user doesn’t have to give a f. matrix.org is not the only homeserver and user has the power to make their own homeserver as well.

    • ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org
      3·
      9 hours ago

      anyone successfully managed to import chat history from one instance to another? heard it’s possible, don’t know of anyone actually doing it.

      what do you consider importing?

      you can invite another account of yours into the DM room. then export all encryption keys in your old account, and import them in the new one, and now you should be seeing your old encrypted messages. if the room stopped being treated as a DM room after the invite, you can kick your old account and execute the /converttodm command or something like that in element web.

  • jakob@soc.schuerz.at
    4·
    16 hours ago

    @cypherpunks

    Hosting your own homeserver is quite easy.
    On a debian-VM you can install it via debian-package… (without mas and bridges… ok)

    And having your own matrix-server is best controll and data-souvereignity.