Instant messaging is a very useful capability on the internet, unfortunately dominated by a number of proprietary islands. Users of these isolated (but locally large and dominant) systems find them so useful, and natural they they can not understand why everybody is not using (Facebook Messenger/X (formerly Twitter)/WhatsApp/Viber/Signal/Telgram …)
There are 3 options which are not isolated islands:
- XMPP – Instant Messaging as an Internet Standard. Federated, lightweight and flexible
- IRC – Internet Relay Chat – widely used amongst software veterans, mostly for discussing software devolopment
- Matrix – The protocol is published by a Foundation, and the software is open. Servers require more resources than XMPP, but have strong protection against messages being modified.
Of these XMPP offers the best route for non-experts who just want a simple route to Instant Messaging without being locked in to a a closed system. One XMPP instant messenger system, called ‘Snikket’ has a hosted option, where, for a fee, they will provide a server with a web interface which simplifies the administration side.
As part of the ‘Enable’ role of Appleseed, UK charities can apply for funding, via a donation via a Charities Aid Foundation account, for a pilot to try Standard, Open, Internet Chat for themselves.