@uranther Keybase isn't an option, because I'm specifically trying to get normies to use it. Too complicated.

Unless I'm mistaken, Matrix is web only, with no mobile apps, and is also mostly group messaging. I want group and individual messaging, and mobile apps.

Signal is a promising option, but I'll need to research it some more before I can start recomending it to anyone else.

@CaptainUnderpants Do you have signal installed?

@ajroach42 @CaptainUnderpants there is Riot.im for Android which is an implementation of Matrix, but I guess you are right about it mainly focusing on group chat.

I consider Keybase pretty easy to use but the fact that it does other stuff may be confusing.

Signal now has a desktop app so that's good.

@ajroach42 @CaptainUnderpants just don't use Telegram

@ajroach42 @uranther @CaptainUnderpants Have you tried an effort like this before? Getting your friends to join a new messaging service?

It might be easier to just start installing a bunch of apps, because in my personal experience, nobody ever wants to change. :P

@mdm

I mean, I've gotten my friends to a new social media platform, so that's 1/4 the battle done already.

I don't mind having multiple apps, even.

What I'm trying to avoid, though, is facebook messenger. I need a replacement for that, so that I can deactivate my FB account.

@ajroach42 Good luck. I just gave up months ago and created a folder called "messaging" on my phone where I have, to date, nine different apps.

I don't have Facebook anymore, of course, but I figured that anyone I actually wanted to talk to on there also can use SMS, and we had already exchanged numbers.

@mdm I have three or four messaging apps already. I don't mind that part much.

I guess I could just use SMS, and start distributing my number to folks, but I really like the idea of having a web client/desktop client and cross device syncing.

@ajroach42 Someone might've already told you this, but I learned over the weekend that you can use Facebook Messenger even without a Facebook account -- if you absolutely have to talk to someone through FB Messenger, but also want to delete your FB account, this could be a solution.

@mdm Yeah, I was seeing some tips in that direction recently.

I'm not at that point yet, though.

@ajroach42 @CaptainUnderpants @uranther Matrix is a protocol and isn't web-only - The fancy web client (Riot) is one of the most advanced ones, but there are versions for iOS and Android, not to mention entirely different clients.
(https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/vector.im/id1083446067?mt=8 for example)

@samis how full featured is Matrix?

How are the mobile clients? I've only ever used it in passing, from the web client.

It was confusing, and seemed to be heavily focused towards persistent group chats.

@ajroach42 @samis matrix does a surprisingly terrible job of explaining itself

@ajroach42 I haven't used the iOS version but I found the Android and Web clients to be decent. But I'm not sure I can be an accurate judge as I use group chat more than 1-to-1 chat. It has cool additional features like Application Services (bridges baked right into the protocol) and End-to-End encryption.

@ckeen I'm on iOS at the moment, unfortunately.

Eventually, I will not be, but at least some of the people I'm trying to talk to are.

I'm disappointed to hear that there aren't any good XMPP clients for iOS.