So You Want To Write An Open Source Discord Replacement
-
For those of you coming to see if that exists, I checked https://mattermost.com and:
a user interface that is Normal the ability to use languages other than English and writing systems other than Latin higher standards of user experience than how irc actually works in the real world any fucking clue how Discord works and why people use itI guess I'll see you there.
@nojhan @0xabad1dea considering where we are and who you're replying to, maybe the source repo would be a better place to direct people?
(It's on github, but things could be worse)
-
@0xabad1dea @gabboman if you don't make it distributed, you also have to host the entire bloody thing - which gets expensive once you add video chat and/or screensharing at any meaningful scale
@ratsnakegames WebRTC can work for about 80% of network configuration with just STUN and for small calls at least, especially audio only, the call quality should be at least as good as unboosted Discord. No need to shove any media thru a server. If the rest of the experience is great, this could be fine. And with the right architecture, TURN could be configured per server/channel/whatever, allowing users to either self host that OR pay (opening up a revenue option without forcing monopoly)
-
@nojhan @0xabad1dea considering where we are and who you're replying to, maybe the source repo would be a better place to direct people?
(It's on github, but things could be worse)
@nojhan @0xabad1dea also, that looks more like slack
But it's probably *close enough*
-
@0xabad1dea "- a user interface that is Normal "
Perhaps "a range of user interfaces to suit a variety of preferences that can be select and changed by the user at will."
Not just light vs dark themes but also the difference between more traditional desktop metaphors (IceWM/XFCE) and the swipe driven small-screen-optimised user experience that many phone users seem to favour (for reasons known to those users).
@the_wub @0xabad1dea
Respectfully, this mindset of infinite customization will drive away all but the most dedicated enthusiasts.I think a priority should be to have a small team of talented UI/UX designers create a likable, aesthetic, and intuitive interface that doesn’t feel like it was designed by an alien species tripping on acid.
-
@gkrnours @0xabad1dea technically they also have a chat system (Tchap), which is nowhere near as advanced as what discord/slack offer.
@0xabad1dea @jenesuispasgoth ok but everyone and their grandma can make a chat system. And tchap is a frontend for element.io
-
@katarjin.bsky.social
The basic concept is fine. The user interface is a mess. -
To be honest I do not think the normal user who is just sick of Discord and looks for something similar does really care, but it is good to have it in case you want it later I guess
Most of my friends do not even know what federation means, I have to explain to them what I learned from using Mastodon and WAFRN myself
@crowfea
That normal user will care in a few years when the platform is bought out by a sociopathic billionaire and everyone has to start all over from scratch. -
So You Want To Write An Open Source Discord Replacement
Things you don’t need:
- federation/distributed systems
- multiparty end-to-end encryption
- an entirely new operating system kernel specially designed to—Things you DO need:
- a user interface that is Normal
- the ability to use languages other than English and writing systems other than Latin
- higher standards of user experience than how irc actually works in the real world
- any fucking clue how Discord works and why people use it@0xabad1dea Counterpoint on the federation thing: I don't want to make 50 different accounts for 50 different instances. So at the very least federated identity and authentication should be supported, if not actual message federation.
-
@ljrk @katarjin.bsky.social @0xabad1dea
I'm with you. I didn't/don't get Slack, Discord, Matrix (and neither IRC). I understand group chats but as soon as they get busy I'm completely overwhelmed and feel left alone by the tools@realn2s @katarjin.bsky.social @0xabad1dea IRC I can work with (I use Halloy), but only smaller group chats ^^'
-
So You Want To Write An Open Source Discord Replacement
Things you don’t need:
- federation/distributed systems
- multiparty end-to-end encryption
- an entirely new operating system kernel specially designed to—Things you DO need:
- a user interface that is Normal
- the ability to use languages other than English and writing systems other than Latin
- higher standards of user experience than how irc actually works in the real world
- any fucking clue how Discord works and why people use it@0xabad1dea > So You Want To Write An Open Source Discord Replacement
I really don't, it sounds like a lot of difficult and thankless work… oh I get it.
-
@krapp @0xabad1dea I think when she says no federation she means that each organization hosts its own server which functions completely independently of others. Since discord is divided into different "servers" which you have to switch between, its fine if its replacement makes you switch between different REAL servers in order to message different groups.
-
@krapp @0xabad1dea Also my impression is that the primary use case for discord is for very large groupchats, frequently open to anyone on the internet, in which case encryption isn't very useful as bad actors can either join the chat themselves, or send phishing emails to all 100 chat members knowing that one will probably take the bait. If you want to chat with a small group of people confidentially, signal already exists.
-
@the_wub @0xabad1dea
Respectfully, this mindset of infinite customization will drive away all but the most dedicated enthusiasts.I think a priority should be to have a small team of talented UI/UX designers create a likable, aesthetic, and intuitive interface that doesn’t feel like it was designed by an alien species tripping on acid.
@freediverx @0xabad1dea I said nothing about an "infinite" number of options.
As for "likable, aesthetic, and intuitive interface" beauty is, and always has been in the eye of the beholder. As is "intuitive".
It is impossible to make UIs that fit all devices and fit all users. There are idioms in "modern" UI that still catch me out.
Like making a "search" or "add (contact)" button a free floating element in a completely different colour instead of being a choice under the main menu element.
-
@freediverx @0xabad1dea I said nothing about an "infinite" number of options.
As for "likable, aesthetic, and intuitive interface" beauty is, and always has been in the eye of the beholder. As is "intuitive".
It is impossible to make UIs that fit all devices and fit all users. There are idioms in "modern" UI that still catch me out.
Like making a "search" or "add (contact)" button a free floating element in a completely different colour instead of being a choice under the main menu element.
@freediverx @0xabad1dea Would it not make more sense to have, as with IRC or Mastodon an open defined communications protocol which allows people to write clients that they find "likable, aesthetic, and intuitive" so that end users can choose which client they want to use?
Be it a CLI client under Linux, a default web client or a program written to match a particular desktop (KDE, GNOME, XFCE, Phosh etc).
-
@freediverx @0xabad1dea Would it not make more sense to have, as with IRC or Mastodon an open defined communications protocol which allows people to write clients that they find "likable, aesthetic, and intuitive" so that end users can choose which client they want to use?
Be it a CLI client under Linux, a default web client or a program written to match a particular desktop (KDE, GNOME, XFCE, Phosh etc).
@the_wub @0xabad1dea
Without giving it too much thought… yes.…after a couple seconds of thought, I’m thinking of a fun but balkanized ecosystem of apps built around the open protocol, and later someone coming uo with a very polished and elegant client app that becomes very popular, and then the developer“embracing and extending” the protocol to create yet another walled garden fueled by VC and insatiable greed.
Which brings me back to, how do we prevent this cycle from repeating?
-
So You Want To Write An Open Source Discord Replacement
Things you don’t need:
- federation/distributed systems
- multiparty end-to-end encryption
- an entirely new operating system kernel specially designed to—Things you DO need:
- a user interface that is Normal
- the ability to use languages other than English and writing systems other than Latin
- higher standards of user experience than how irc actually works in the real world
- any fucking clue how Discord works and why people use it@0xabad1dea@infosec.exchange It needs to be sustainable, otherwise you will need a replacement for the replacement. Federation might help achieve that.
-
So You Want To Write An Open Source Discord Replacement
Things you don’t need:
- federation/distributed systems
- multiparty end-to-end encryption
- an entirely new operating system kernel specially designed to—Things you DO need:
- a user interface that is Normal
- the ability to use languages other than English and writing systems other than Latin
- higher standards of user experience than how irc actually works in the real world
- any fucking clue how Discord works and why people use it@0xabad1dea you do need federation because without federation it will enshittify
-
@nojhan @0xabad1dea also, that looks more like slack
But it's probably *close enough*
@0xabad1dea @RandomDamage I don't see much difference, TBH. Tomatoe, tomatoes.
-
So You Want To Write An Open Source Discord Replacement
Things you don’t need:
- federation/distributed systems
- multiparty end-to-end encryption
- an entirely new operating system kernel specially designed to—Things you DO need:
- a user interface that is Normal
- the ability to use languages other than English and writing systems other than Latin
- higher standards of user experience than how irc actually works in the real world
- any fucking clue how Discord works and why people use it@0xabad1dea as someone who uses discord mostly as IRC but with emojis and images... What *are* the main reasons people use discord? Like this seems like there should be so many open alternatives, but I'm obviously missing something.
-
@0xabad1dea @jenesuispasgoth ok but everyone and their grandma can make a chat system. And tchap is a frontend for element.io
@gkrnours @0xabad1dea it is a front-end, yes. I fail to see how this addresses the issue I mention — namely: it's not bad, but does not provide the stack of features that Discord/Slack offer to their users, especially UI/UX wise.
