Posts by Gringo99

Matrix for the masses platform Element One goes live: $5 a month with WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram bridges

Matrix user with bridges here

I'll add my thoughts to the conversation as I've been using (self-hosted) Matrix services for a few years, and recently added the whatsapp bridge.

I decided to switch to Matrix because I really liked the e2ee thing. Also, at the time the video call quality was so much better than skype or whatsapp (as you would imagine with a dedicated server and absolutely no bandwith/quality throttling - I once went through 500mb of mobile data in a few minutes).

Yes, I still use whatsapp, Matrix is only between me, my wife and my parents (which ARE grandparents now, so yes, grampa is on Matrix).

Do I have to pay for this? yes, in the form of hosting (TURN does not work behind a nat and so can't self host at home). And it's pretty much the equivalent of $5/month. I still do it because a) it's not much really b) I like it and most important c) I control the data, ALL of it (well, the one in Matrix anyway).

Recently I've added the whatsapp bridge, as I was tired (read: too lazy) to have both the Element client and Whatsapp client on my computer and having to switch between the two. And since the only people that I have video calls with are my wife or my parents, the lack of that integration is not much of a bother. Yes, it will be nice when it comes so I can call my sister too (I am not a monster, I use a predefined jitsi room with her).

And now whatsapp is allowing to share up to 4 devices, so I think I'll try to virtualise android and let whatsapp run in there instead of my mobile. Not sure it will work (actually I am pretty sure I understood wrong what whatsapp means, but being wrong never stopped me from trying - that's how I got married, I think).

Maybe I'll add the FB bridge as well so my wife can use it, and maybe the signal one for the two people I have in there (and actively use it)

Will whatsapp and FB make breaking changes in the future? Most likely, but not suddenly as there are a lot of businesses using those services, so they will be announced, and I won't be the one who has to implement them, I only need to remember to do a docker pull when it's ready.

What' the point of all my rambling? Well, not much really. But a) I would _maybe_ consider switching to a managed services if it was cheaper b) there are people/use cases for such a thing and c) I got you hooked up to this point, didn't I?

Cheers!

Re: Moving target...

As my old manager used to say: standards are great, there are so many of them to choose from!

Or as XKCD said:

https://xkcd.com/927/

Playmobil crosses the final frontier with enormous, metre-long Enterprise playset

Re: Shuttle?

I was going to say, maybe there is a subscription service where they send you fresh redshirts characters every month...

Let's check in now with the new California monolith... And it's gone, torn down by a bunch of MAGA muppets

BTW, looks like Internet found the answer to the Utah one

Stumbled upon this the other day.

https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/the-mystery-of-the-utah-monolith-may-have-been-solved-by-internet-sleuths/

Spolier: even more disappointing of my low exepctations.

Help! My printer won't print no matter how much I shout at it!

I never protected the guilty

If something was "fixed" by turning it on, I used to say "it works better when you turn it on".

I've found that shame helps the user remember their mistakes (well, and mines too!).

Hooray! It's IT Day! Let's hear it for the lukewarm mugs of dirty water that everyone seems to like so much

I drink both and I speak for me

So, I am Italian, which of course means I can have the final word on coffee (</sarcasm>).

I started drinking tea in my mid-20 as I found that it settled my stomach better after a heavy night out. Coffee was just giving me heartburn.

Since I was young and foolish, this meant tea every w-end for breakfast, and sometimes also during the week (I regret nothing, up until the second ulcer).

The habit stuck, and tea is still my favourite drink for breakfast IF I can't get hold of proper cappuccino. I leave in UK now, so to be honest chances are slim.

I avoid Starbucks like the plague. I had coffee there 3 times (3 different branches in different years), and were all awful. They burn the shit out of it. Or maybe it's just their particular type of roast. Anyway, that explains why they "have so many drinks that are designed to hide the flavour of the coffee".

I drink tea without milk, as it's not the norm in Italy (and AFAIK outside UK). Tried a couple of times, it's ok but literally not my cup of tea.

But even green tea doesn't have the kick of coffee. Now that I stuck at home I do my after lunch one with this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot

To me it's the only way to make it, outside of a bar where they have a proper espresso machine. I am considering one.

So for anybody that made it that far in my rambling:

Tea is because it's easier on my stomach, I can dip biscuits in it (McVites rich tea or scottish shortbread) and I have to do something while I read The Reg in the morning and afternoon (I am 2 cups a day, a lightweight, I know).

Coffee is because I need to stay awake, and part of the italian "after lunch" tradition. Back in Italy I was easy on 5 espresso a day, and I wasn't the heaviest drinker between my friends.

Tanks for the memories: Building a post-Microsoft Office cloud suite

I am paranoid

but i like to host my stuff myself.

I've recently found https://sandstorm.io/ that covers chat, video, storage etc.

It can be cloudy or self hosted.

But for chat/video/conf call I prefer using Matrix-Synapse with Riot frontend, as it supports end-to-end encryption too (and it has a nice interface).

I know, it's a lot of work to set up, but if you don't want to use MS or Google there is not much else.

I've also found Collabora for online docs/sheets (https://www.collaboraoffice.com/code/#getting_set_up) that can be self hosted, but haven't tried it yet tbh.

My point is there are options if somebody wants to go "private" or simply not MS/Gsuite.

Lyrebird steals your voice to make you say things you didn't – and we hate this future

I said it before

with the face manipulation program, and this is no difference: porn.

This has the added "benefit" that could be used also for erotic hotlines.

Would any famous person agree? most likely not (well, maybe someone; Kardashians anyone? - as if there was a need for that!).

But again, Internet is full of fake celebrities porn pictures (or so they I've been told).

Boffins find a way to put your facial expression on Donald Trump's mug

Ahem...

I'm the only one who thinks "fake porn"?

Legal issues aside obviously.