CommunityData:Matrix

The CDSC uses a system called Matrix as its group chat system. Matrix is a secure, decentralized, chat system. Although there are a range of clients you can use to connect to Matrix, this page documents using a client called Element which includes a website, desktop application for common operating systems including GNU/Linux, and mobile apps for iOs and Android.

The system has a range of benefits, including the ability to create end-to-end encrypted channels and DMs for secure communication and the ability to create "bridges" to other systems like IRC, which are widely used by many people in online communities that CDSC has historically worked closely with.

Administrators

The following people are currently administrators on the CDSC Matrix space:

• Mako (@makoshark:matrix.org)
• Aaron (@aaronshaw:matrix.org)
• Jeremy (@jdfoote:matrix.org)
• Kaylea (@kayleachampion:matrix.org)
• Nate (@groceryheist:matrix.org).
• Carl (@carl:chat.carl.cx)
• Sohyeon (@sohw:matrix.org)
• Matt (@mgaughan:matrix.org)

Getting Setup on Matrix

If you are already on IRC, please follow the instructions on CommunityData:IRC to Matrix migration.

1. Visit the Element website to get setup. You'll need to create an account. Set it up with an icon, name, and all that sort of stuff.
2. It's probably also a good idea to install the Element App on your phone and maybe get setup with a Desktop application to.
3. Once you're done, ask an administrator to invite you to the CDSC space. The following people are currently administrators and can do this.
4. Once you've been added, join the channels you want to be in.

P.S. If you are a Weechat (not a typo) user, there is a pretty great Matrix plugin/mode so that you can continue using it directly from your old IRC client. Ask Mako for details. He's been using it and likes it quite a lot.

Creating new channels

First, you decide if you want non-CDSC members to be able to join the channel. We should create open channels unless there's a very strong reason not to.

If you want to create an open channel:

1. Create a Matrix channel within the "CDSC Space" (NOTE: be sure to make it NOT end-to-end encrypted)
2. Create an IRC channel, make sure you have registered the channel with chanserv and have ops (i.e., the operator bit) on the IRC channel.
3. Find an administrator on the CDSC Matrix space; they will manually plumb/integrate/connect the matrix channel into the IRC channel by following the instructions here: https://matrix.org/blog/2023/07/make-sure-libera-bridge-keeps-working/ (the link is now under extensions)

If we don't want the channel to be open, we can create the channel in the normal way entirely within Element/Matrix. We should only do this for truly private channels.

Import note: Once you have created any matrix channel, you should make two changes to the settings:

1. You should make a number of people administrators. It's a good idea to add at least two of the following people Mako (@makoshark:matrix.org), Aaron (@aaronshaw:matrix.org), Jeremy (@jdfoote:matrix.org), Kaylea (@kayleachampion:matrix.org), and Nate (@groceryheist:matrix.org). Please invite at least one of these people to your channel! It's important that we have multiple administrators on every channel in case somebody loses an account!
2. Go to the "Roles and Permissions" section of the channel's "Settings" and set the Notify everyone feature to Default which will allow all users to send notifications. By default, only moderators can send a message to @room.

Joining existing channels

If you click into the matrix communitydata space (top left side of the web interface, it has our logo image), there will be a plus ('+') sign next to the space name ('Community Data Science'). From there, you can choose 'Add existing room' -- searching on 'communitydata' will get you a list of all spaces with 'communitydata' in the name.