Everyone has different UI feature desires so ill put that aside for this comment; flexibility is my key reason for Signal losing favor.
What the Matrix solution gives me:
- chat from multiple devices with history upon login (I read they're working on downloadable exports/backups) from any client;
- zero knowledge webapp logins (e.g. the work laptop on VPN, app.element.io in a Chrome tab) just use your Security Key like MFA;
- trivial and easy bridging with other endpoints (IRC, XMPP, etc.) it's not perfect but it works and I use this daily chatting with friends on other networks;
- choice of many clients whether actual apps or web interfaces (yes, it's early days and rough around the edges but the capability is there and happening) unlike Signal;
- distributed (federation) server designs baked in to avoid single company server lock in (Signal is opposed to this, goes hand in hand with using only their clients);
- less trouble and better client experiences about around the above than XMPP ecosystem. I just get annoyed using the XMPP versions of my bullet points above (and I've really tried, honest)
Is Matrix/Element perfect? no, lots of rough edges being worked on especially with the e2ee keys (my opinion). But I see healthy work, continual improvement and a good future ahead.
And yet Moxie spends a ton of time and effort attempting to convince everyone that working on protocols and federated systems (not just "Web3" and crypto-adjacent stuff, as in his article yesterday, but the entire space: he gave a scathing talk a year or two ago you can find a copy of, though he interestingly hadn't wanted it recorded) are useless and that no one should waste their time building them :(.
What the Matrix solution gives me:
- chat from multiple devices with history upon login (I read they're working on downloadable exports/backups) from any client;
- zero knowledge webapp logins (e.g. the work laptop on VPN, app.element.io in a Chrome tab) just use your Security Key like MFA;
- trivial and easy bridging with other endpoints (IRC, XMPP, etc.) it's not perfect but it works and I use this daily chatting with friends on other networks;
- choice of many clients whether actual apps or web interfaces (yes, it's early days and rough around the edges but the capability is there and happening) unlike Signal;
- distributed (federation) server designs baked in to avoid single company server lock in (Signal is opposed to this, goes hand in hand with using only their clients);
- less trouble and better client experiences about around the above than XMPP ecosystem. I just get annoyed using the XMPP versions of my bullet points above (and I've really tried, honest)
Is Matrix/Element perfect? no, lots of rough edges being worked on especially with the e2ee keys (my opinion). But I see healthy work, continual improvement and a good future ahead.