Direct link: https://chat.atticstudios.be

Based on:

• Synapse Homeserver – Github
  • Whatsapp bridge –
  • Facebook Messenger bridge –
  • Skype bridge –
• Matrix Dimension Integration Server – Github
• Riot.IM web client – Github
• Token based registration – Github

Todo:

• More bridges! (Signal, Telegram(?), …)
  Suggestions welcome!
• Daemonize current bridges

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Description

Attic Chat is a combination of quite some services, as you can see above. It was the project that sparked my interest in Open Source and Linux as a platform. Getting all bits and pieces working together without any Linux experience at all was quite a challenge, but Attic Chat has been up and running quite reliably since the start.

Attic Chat is the Attic Studios implementation of the Open Source decentralized Matrix instant messaging network. The main goal is to provide truly private instant messaging. There is no central Matrix server, everyone can start their own server to ‘host’ your own content on and access to the Matrix network. All servers federate direct chats and chat rooms among each other so no one entity ‘owns’ the data. No person or company can switch it off or control the content on it. Nobody owns the Matrix!

Matrix has evolved a lot since the first conception. A lot of geniuses put their brains to it and clients like Riot have feature parity with most proprietary instant messaging apps.

This is not an Open Project in the sense that it requires an account to be able to use it. All Attic Member accounts can log on to Matrix with an account based on the Attic Studios HomeServer (atticstudios.be).

Registration

I really, really like the Matrix platform, though. Since any communications platform tends to get more interesting with more parties to communicate with, I’ve added am invitation-based registration procedure for my homeserver on https://chat.atticstudios.be/register.

If you know anyone with an account here, they will be able to invite you. If you like, reach out and I will send you an invitation token.
This will create a Matrix account on the Attic Studios HomeServer (@yourusername:atticstudios.be), but this is not an Attic Member account! You would not be able to log on to the Attic Studios website with it. Feel free to get an Attic Member account which includes a Matrix account, and a bunch of additional services!

I am still working on a welcome bot and some basic instructions to navigate around Riot and such. If anyone has experience in that regard, do let me know!

Client – Riot.IM

What you can actually see of Attic Chat is actually the Riot.IM webclient, hosted on Attic Studios. You can also use the public Riot.IM webclient, you just need to change the server to ‘synapse.atticstudios.be’ (the address of the Attic Chat HomeServer) and log in with your Attic Studios account.

Riot.IM also has mobile apps for Android and iOS to connect with the Matrix. As these are standard apps, you will need to set ‘synapse.atticstudios.be’ as your HomeServer!

Since the entire platform is Open Source, there are other clients available as well. If you are using another one, I am very interested in your experiences.

Bridges

There are currently three bridges active: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Skype. They ‘bridge’ or connect your accounts on those respective apps to your Attic Chat account. That means your contacts from those apps will also be available in Attic Chat and you can chat with them as if you were using the original app. Text-chat is working great but I have not had much luck with voice or video calls. You can of course always use Attic Parley for that! ???? Oh, and I can not use the Skype bridge myself because of some security issue on my Microsoft account. If anyone is using it, let me know if it works? A more efficient approach has been to get everyone I want to talk to on Attic Chat ????

Installation

I have not kept records of every installation and integration that made the Attic Chat HomeServer to what it has become. I would not be able to retrace all procedures followed, issues tackled and magic invoked to compile a usable step-by-step installation. If I ever start from scratch for a new HomeServer, I promise I will keep better track…

If you would like to get started on your own HomeServer and think I could help out, you know where to find me!

Take that red pill!