Chatting on Matrix

We have online chat rooms to continue the conversation

If you’d like to be part of the discussions shaping Merri-bek Tech, in addition to our regular meetups ) we run online chat rooms to keep the conversation going.

We do this using a chat protocol called Matrix.

Matrix

Matrix is an open standard for chat applications, maintained by a non profit, the matrix foundation . Matrix allows multiple groups to like ours to run chat servers that power chat apps on your phone, computer or the web, and for those chat apps to all work together.

Using Matrix is much like using email. You have an address on a particular server, but you can still chat with anyone around the world, regardless of which server they use for their address.

Also like email, Matrix works with different programs. We’re going to suggest the most common one in these instructions, but if you don’t like it, you can try others.

Getting a Matrix Account

At Matrix.org

If you’re not in Merri-bek, or otherwise connected with Merri-bek Tech, but would like to follow allong, we recommend that you create a matrix account on a server of your choosing. You can get free accounts at matrix.org , for example.

If you’ve don this, you can skip straight to “Joining our Chat Rooms”.

With us, at merri-bek.chat

We run a server at merri-bek.chat that can be your home in the matrix. Here’s how you can get involved.

Step 1 - get an invitation code

We aren’t open to the public yet, so you need to ask someone at Merri-bek tech for an invitation code. You can email membership@merri-bek.tech and ask for one, or you can ask for a code at one of our events.

Step 2 - signup using the web

First, I suggest you try it on the web. Head over to https://element.merri-bek.chat/ and use the sign up form. You can pick any username that is free on our server, and any password. You’ll then be asked for that invitation token that you got in step 1.

Important Note: Please don’t specify an email address in the optional email field. Our server isn’t setup to send emails, and so your signup will be stuck waiting for a verification email. Just leave that field blank.

If that worked, you can start chatting on the web straight away. However, we also recommend you keep that web browser open, and proceed to step 3.

Step 3 - installing a matrix chat app

After that you have the web working, we recommend you install a client on your phone or computer.

To start with, try the most common one: Element X" on mobile, or “Element” on desktop.

You can get them at https://element.io/en/download . When you go to log in to those, before you enter your username and password, you will need to set which server you are logging in to. It might default to “matrix.org”. You need to change it to say “merri-bek.chat”.

When you log in, you’ll be asked to verify your identity using another device. When you do this, you’ll be ask to compare a set of emojis between your new chat app, and the web browser chat you setup in step 2. This shares your private keys between the two versions. These keys are yours, and we don’t have them, which is why we can’t read your messages.

As an aside, do not choose to verify your identity using a QR Code, that currently doesn’t work on our server.

Joining our Chat Rooms

Now that you’ve got a matrix account (with us or elsewhere) you might want to join any of the following rooms. You can also join spaces which let you see all the rooms inside for joining.

Other uses

Many other groups and projects use Matrix too, and you can join their rooms using your new matrix account, or just message your friends.

Some groups you might want to try include the Degrowth Network Australia and Linux Australia .