Decentralised linking from the Web (HTTP contexts) to a matrix user or room.

Or, “Let’s decentralise matrix.to!”

• Overview and rationale: matrix-decentralised-http-linking-about (this document)
• The (proposed) specification: matrix-decentralised-http-linking-spec
• Discussion (matrix room): #matrix.to:matrix.org

What’s this?

Matrix is supposed to be a decentralised protocol [MATRIX]. While much of it is, an important part isn’t. Matrix uses matrix.to [SPEC-TO] as a centralised mechanism for linking and invitation to matrix resources from HTTP contexts.

We can do better than centralised.

This is a proposal to fix an important part of that problem.

I have been trying out a matrix-based blog comments system.

WriteFreely is a simple self-hosted blogging system. It uses Markdown for content. To let readers subscribe to follow new posts, it supports both RSS and ActivityPub (Fediverse). It has no comments system of its own.

Cactus Comments is a simple self-hosted comments system. It lets us add a comments section to any web page we control, such as a blog. It uses Matrix for the comments.

I describe a self-hosted deployment.

This is my POSSE copy of announcements I posted to the Matrix Community Year In Review 2022, which was subsequently published on Nico's blog and on Matrix.org's blog.

This is my POSSE copy of the announcement posted in This Week in Matrix (TWIM) 2022-07-08.

I have created an installation role to add the UnifiedPush-compatible push-notification server “ntfy” to the popular Matrix server installer system “matrix-docker-ansible-deploy”.

This Ansible role named “matrix-ntfy” lets a Matrix server operator offer self-hosted Google-less push notifications for their users.

An English translation of a web page of a German primary school which adapted Matrix software for their school's needs in COVID times. They called their version Hermannpost.

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The safe messenger for children and parents of Hermann School

A school messenger for our inclusive school

video: Hermann School: Our way through Corona (in German)

For years, Hermann School has been working on a sustainable media concept that meets its special features and special needs. For example, our classrooms have long been equipped with interactive whiteboards.

Then came Coronavirus.

An English translation of an interview with a German primary school teacher who adapted Matrix software for their school's needs in COVID times. They called their version Hermannpost.

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Instead of relying on Teams or Google, a primary school in NRW uses a customised Matrix client during homeschooling. The effort is worth it.

An Interview by Moritz Tremmel published on 24 January 2022, 9:15 am

Contents:

1. Matrix: Primary School forked Messenger
2. A matrix server alone does not yet make a primary school messenger
3. How Hermannpost came to the app stores

This is an informal summary of my recent (2016 ~ 2023) experience and explorations in the areas of Matrix and Android and self-hosting. For my employment history please see my more formal CV/resumé at https://blog.foad.me.uk/cv/.

Passions

• Matrix, FOSS, services-as-FOSS, digital Freedom for everyone

Recent skills

for secure location sharing with Matrix

I set up my own OpenStreetMap tiles server for use with matrix location sharing.

This guide explains how I did it, including the Ansible role scripts I wrote.

This is my POSSE copy of the Matrix Scribe announcement of that I posted in This Week in Matrix (TWIM) 2022-03-04.