This Week in Matrix 2024-07-19

Matrix Live

Dept of Spec 📜

Andrew Morgan (anoa) {he/him} says

Here's your weekly spec update! The heart of Matrix is the specification - and this is modified by Matrix Spec Change (MSC) proposals. Learn more about how the process works at https://spec.matrix.org/proposals

MSC Status

New MSCs:

• MSC4171: Service members

MSCs in Final Comment Period:

• No MSCs are in FCP.

Accepted MSCs:

• No MSCs were accepted this week.

Closed MSCs:

• MSC3572: Relation aggregation cleanup
• MSC1840: Typed rooms

Spec Updates

We have just one MSC this week from the Tuesday pings. Get it below.

• MSC4163: Make ACLs apply to EDUs (merge)
  • There is one outstanding concern on this MSC for improved clarity, however the author appears to have already addressed this point. Looks like it's only a matter of time before FCP beigns on this one.
  • Requires 1 more tick from the SCT (Started the week needing 6)

Once again, thank you to everyone who is writing PRs against matrix-spec, especially Johennes and Kladki who combined have had lots of PRs (and MSCs!) created and merged recently. Cheers!

Dept of Servers 🏢

Synapse (website)

Synapse is a Matrix homeserver implementation developed by Element

Andrew Morgan (anoa) {he/him} announces

This week we released Synapse v1.111.0 (v36? 🤖) and with it came increased support for Authenticated Media and native Sliding Sync. Again, please note that native sliding sync is still experimental, and we do not (yet) advise trying it yet unless you're a developer. Finally, with the additional authenticated media endpoints in place, Synapse now declares support for Matrix v1.11 to clients.

Other changes include forcing deactivated users to forget all rooms they were in (which was preventing garbage collection of rooms they were in) and improved support for OIDC with an experimental implementation of MSC3861: delegate authentication via OIDC.

See the full changelog for all the details.

Dept of Clients 📱

Fractal (website)

Matrix messaging app for GNOME written in Rust.

Kévin Commaille reports

Did you miss us? Only two weeks after our beta release, we are ready to release Fractal 8.rc.

Here are the main goodies since Fractal 8.beta:

• Draft messages are persisted in the database, allowing to restore them after a restart
• A banner appears when synchronization with the homeserver fails too many times in a row
• Links in room descriptions are detected in most places
• Collapsed categories in the sidebar are remembered between restarts, with the “Historical” category collapsed by default
• The history media viewers show properly when they are loading or empty

As usual, this release includes other improvements, fixes and new translations thanks to all our contributors, and our upstream projects.

It is available to install via Flathub Beta, see the instructions in our README.

As the version implies, it should be mostly stable and we expect to only include minor improvements until the release of Fractal 8.

If you want to spend your summer or winter coding, solving our issues is a great place to start!

FluffyChat (website)

The cutest instant messenger in the [matrix].

Krille-chan announces

FluffyChat v1.21.2 has been released 🚀 and is right now available in all AppStore (except F-Droid). This release brings several 🐞 bug fixes and a 🚨 security fix.

Rooms without a known last message are no longer jumping around in the room list and the last message in the room list now also decrypts when keys are coming afterwards.

Also a (security related) bug, where the app tried to load images from arbitrary urls, has been fixed. Therefore I encourage all users to install the update. If you are using a fork, please check if it is also affected.

Element X iOS (website)

A total rewrite of Element-iOS using the Matrix Rust SDK underneath and targeting devices running iOS 16+.

Mauro Romito announces

• Rich text editor has been improved significantly, and predictive inline text has been restored
• Element Call stability fixes
• Simplified Sliding Sync is being tested on the app, and is currently testable on nightlies
• Message pinning work has been started
• Fixed invites on the join room screen

Element X Android (website)

Android Matrix messenger application using the Matrix Rust SDK and Jetpack Compose.

ganfra announces

• EX Android v0.4.16 is now available in the Play Store.
• Element Call stability (including Picture in Picture)
• Performance improvements, most notable when opening/closing rooms.
• Improvements in the text composer.
• And several bug fixes.

Dept of VoIP 🤙

Element Call (website)

Native Decentralised End-to-end Encrypted Group Calls in Matrix, as a standalone web app

Timo K. says

This week, the Element VoIP team presents a new release. (Just a small one for now)

Release version v0.5.18

v0.5.18 has fixes that users get "magically" muted. Since real magic does not exist, there is an explanation to it: Whenever a call has 8 or more participants, we want the default to be that the microphone is muted. This condition was reactive, but now this only happens once at the start of a call. The much bigger change in this release (and one of the big achievements this week) is that Element Call v0.5.18 supports the new event format from MSC4143 (MatrixRTC), which allows us to implement reliable call memberships So updating to this version will be the minimal requirement to be compatible with MSC4143 (MatrixRTC). It is still using the old format from MSC3401 by default. Only if it is configured to use the new version in the config, or if someone else is using the new version v0.5.18, it will also send the new event format. This is an exciting milestone where the first part of reliable call memberships reach production. The new layout is testable? For all of you that don't like small preparation steps but want to see and feel how things evolve, there is even more exciting news. We merged a big project into the dev branch of element call: call.element.dev. All the UI logic was refactored and allows for elegant rxjs (reactive programming using Observables) code. It is easy and elegant to create new layouts based on the new architecture, and writing tests for this code is much easier thanks to the introduction of an MVVM architecture. So be invited to play around with call.element.dev. We just reached the point where it is fully usable, fast and fun. Even though we are not yet feature complete, it already feels more snappy and fixes a couple of long awaited issues like everybody's all time favorite: Spotlight layout is still jumpy and erratic

Dept of SDKs and Frameworks 🧰

tulir announces

All mautrix-* bridges and libraries as well as gomuks have been updated to support Matrix v1.11 authenticated media https://mau.fi/blog/2024-07-mautrix-release/

Elm SDK (website)

A more consistent alternative to the matrix-js-sdk, written in Elm.

Bram announces

This week, beta 3.4.0 has been released, which introduces the /sync implementation. This is massive, because it means that this Elm SDK version has the minimum necessary features to build a functional Matrix client! 🎉🎉🎉 Expect clients with zero runtime errors soon.

If you're unfamiliar with Elm, stay tuned, because Elm is interoperable with JavaScript. I'm talking to a few friends of mine who might help me turn the Elm SDK into a capable competitor to the existing matrix-js-sdk. For now, however, the focus is to add all the other features you'd expect from an SDK.

📰 View the docs 🐘 Share it on the Fediverse 🗨️ Join the Matrix conversation

Dept of Bots 🤖

maubot/reactbot challenge!

HarHarLinks reports

Hi TWIM! 👋 I generally like to have fun, and one of the things that I enjoy is solving puzzles. Also, I like Matrix, and some of you might know that I am an avid collector of Matrix powered gadgets that might be useful, annoying the users in my rooms fun, somewhere in between, or maybe even both! In fact, I'm planning to show off some of that at The Matrix Conference in 2 months. In the meantime, I thought maybe you too like fun, so let's do something in the meantime! Which leads me to the maubot/reactbot challenge!

In case you have been living under a rock and are somehow not aware, maubot is a wonderful plugin-powered bot framework for Matrix. There is a popular plugin called reactbot that essentially does what you'd expect based on its name: It will read any message sent into a room and react to it according to some rules that you configure for it. We even have an instance running in this here #thisweekinmatrix:matrix.org room (hiiii Cookie Bot!! 🍪❤️)!

The rules to configure the reactbot are somewhat limiting at first look but actually very flexible and allow you to create some of your own simple Matrix bot by writing YAML and perhaps regex instead of real code™️! Let's ignore whether this is a good thing, and look at some examples instead: at https://github.com/maubot/reactbot/tree/master/samples you can find some absolute essentials like explanations about FOSS software as well as less serious stuff like sending threaded messages to troll users without thread aware clients.

I've blabbered on enough, so here goes: I challenge you to submit your fun/crazy/weird/amazing reactbots (i.e. config snippets) as code blocks via the Matrix room #reactbot-challenge:matrix.org so everyone can check them out and vote on the most fun/crazy/weird/amazing/best one! Here is a simple one of mine as an example to start turning the gears in your heads:

templates:
    reaction:
        type: m.reaction
        variables:
            react_to_event: '{{event.content.get_edit() or event.event_id}}'
        content:
            m.relates_to:
                rel_type: m.annotation
                event_id: $${react_to_event}
                key: $${reaction}

rules:
    schnapszahl:
        matches:
        - ^(?:.*[^0-9.,])?([0-9])(?:[.,]?\1)+(?:[^0-9.,].*)?$
        template: reaction
        variables:
            reaction: 🥃🔢

It will react with "🥃🔢" to any repdigit, which in German we call Schnapszahl (schnapps number).

Dept of Events and Talks 🗣️

Yan reports

From the passionate team that has brought you numerous Matrix community events, we're thrilled to invite you to another cozy and engaging experience! 🌟✨

Join us for a delightful gathering where you can connect, share, and enjoy the warm community spirit.

Can't wait to see you there! 💖

#MatrixCommunity #CozyEvent #JoinUs

Codename: “Matrix Re-Treated”

Event Overview

Join us for Workation-Nation 0.1, a unique event dedicated to exploring and developing the Matrix communication protocol. This innovative gathering combines focused work sessions, collaborative workshops, and recreational activities in the picturesque setting of Krems, Austria.

Event Details

Date: Monday, 19th August 2024 to Monday, 2nd September 2024

Location: A charming breakfast pension near the city center and close to a river, in Krems Austria, close to Vienna

About Krems

Nestled in the heart of the Wachau Valley, Krems is a historic town known for its stunning landscapes, vineyards, and cultural heritage. It offers a perfect blend of natural beauty and modern amenities, making it an ideal location for a workcation. Explore medieval architecture, enjoy local wines, and immerse yourself in the vibrant local culture.

Daily Schedule

• 8:00 - 9:00: Breakfast
• 9:00 - 16:00: Concentrated Work Time
• 16:00 - 18:00: Open Workshops
• 19:30: Dinner Together

Bergfest

Celebrate Bergfest with us. On the first weekend (24th - 25th August) featuring:

1. Live Music
2. Presentations
3. More engaging activities and surprises

Workshops

Organized by Datanauten with active participation from attendees, our workshops are designed to inspire creativity and collaboration. Workshops include:

1. From You For You: Peer-led sessions on diverse topics
2. Walk to Krems: Explore the local area on foot
3. Pottery (Töpfern): Get hands-on with clay
4. Water Kefir (Wasserkefir): Learn to make this probiotic drink
5. Kimchi Making: Spice Up Your Life: Master the Art of Kimchi!
6. Mind and Hand Activities: Engaging tasks that stimulate both intellect and creativity
7. HackAway: Some creactive experience

Prices

Base Package 49€ per day and person:

• Shared food: Delicious hands-on BreakFast and Dinner everyday
• Shared workspace: Desk, Chair, Internet, Whiteboard ... ask for more
• Shared sleepspace: A bed in a 2 bed room or flat with bathroom

Exclusive Package 81€ per day and person:

• All the above + Exclusive sleepspace: A room and bath only for you

Feel free to bring your family, kids, or friends! We will find special deals.

Activities for Families and Friends

Explore the beautiful region with a variety of activities:

• Biking through scenic routes
• Visiting local museums
• Wine tasting at traditional Heurigen taverns
• Hiking in the picturesque Wachau Valley
• Swimming in the river Danube
• Discovering the historic town of Krems
• Enjoying day trips to Vienna

Food and Catering

We will cook together, creating a communal dining experience and accommodating all dietary requirements.

Transportation

• From Vienna:

  If you arrive by plane or train in Vienna, we can arrange to pick you up.

• From FrOSCon:

  There is a direct or luggage transport from FrOSCon on August 18th.

Flights:

Be quick to booking; currently, a return flight from London is below €200.

Sponsors

The sponsoring by the Matrix community is allowing us to offer you these special prices.

Registration

Register by emailing matrix-retreated@matrix.datanauten.de

or contact Yan Minagawa on Matrix

Contact Info

1. @yan:datanauten.de
2. Phone: +49 175 5550564
3. Email: yan@minagawa.de

Partial attendance

If you can only come for a limited time, consider coming for the first week and the weekend (19th - 25th August) or the weekend and the second week (24th August - 1st September). Please understand that we will favour bookings by full time attendees.

Additional Information

This is a prototype event where we going to the process of experimenting and improving. Please feel free to request anything you need to make this event even better!

Matrix Federation Stats

Aine announces

collected by MatrixRooms.info - an MRS instance by etke.cc

As of today, 9627 Matrix federateable servers have been discovered by matrixrooms.info, 2949 (30.6%) of them are publishing their rooms directory over federation. The published directories contain 161259 rooms.

Stats timeline is available on MatrixRooms.info/stats

How to add your server | How to remove your server

Dept of Ping

Here we reveal, rank, and applaud the homeservers with the lowest ping, as measured by pingbot, a maubot that you can host on your own server.

#ping:maunium.net

Join #ping:maunium.net to experience the fun live, and to find out how to add YOUR server to the game.

Rank	Hostname	Median MS
1	conduwu.it	206.5
2	girlboss.ceo	238
3	doctoruwu.uk	254
4	4d2.org	296.5
5	awawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawaw.gay	339.5
6	nerdhouse.io	375.5
7	uwu.sulian.eu	397
8	serval.cloudinnit.net	400
9	plocki.org	427.5
10	littlevortex.net	428

#ping-no-synapse:maunium.net

Join #ping-no-synapse:maunium.net to experience the fun live, and to find out how to add YOUR server to the game.

Rank	Hostname	Median MS
1	conduwu.it	82.5
2	doctoruwu.uk	110
3	serval.cloudinnit.net	113.5
4	girlboss.ceo	129
5	awawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawawaw.gay	193.5
6	uwu.sulian.eu	264.5
7	namazso.eu	349
8	inu.is	360.5
9	puppygock.gay	381.5
10	reallyaweso.me	396.5

That's all I know

See you next week, and be sure to stop by #twim:matrix.org with your updates!