Add quicksy, blabber.im, and monocles chat for android

[pravi]

Quicksy provides an easy entry and contact discovery for users based on phone number.

blabber.im is a fork of conversations with some nice additions to improve user experience.

monocles chat is a fork of blabber.im with some insecure ciphers removed offering better connection security.

[sjehuda]

I've added monocles, just one, so we don't overwhelm newcomers

[licaon-kter]

The fork of a fork of Conversations? An odd choice...

[sjehuda]

There is another fork called Conv6ations (from sum7.eu)

There're three others to consider:

• Kontalk https://www.kontalk.org/
• Snikket Chat https://snikket.org/
• Stork IM https://stork.im/ (from Tigase, Inc.)

[licaon-kter]

There is another fork called Conv6ations (from sum7.eu)

Discontinued

Kontalk https://www.kontalk.org/

Last release 2020

Snikket Chat https://snikket.org/

Mmmkay, still a fork but closer to the main app

Stork IM https://stork.im/ (from Tigase, Inc.)

Not sure in which state, as dev focused more on iOS

[sjehuda]

I'll replace monocles with Snikket, then.

~~I think Kontalk is a good option, due to it's focus on phone numbers, even though we, the savvy Jabber users, care the least about this.~~

~~What do you think?~~

~~More clients at https://search.f-droid.org/?q=xmpp&lang=en~~

[licaon-kter]

a good option, due to it's focus on phone numbers

https://quicksy.im - based on Conversations, from the same dev, but easy for phone number lovers

[sjehuda]

Do you want to replace Conversations by Quicksy? To do so, I think we better as @ge0rg, because this is not an addition.

[licaon-kter]

Not what I've said. Since you offer more options, that's one option.

[sjehuda]

I know you didn't. I was just asking another question.

Do you think it's reasonable to include more than five options?

If you do, we will add Quicksy, if not, we wil ask George to replace Conversations.

[licaon-kter]

Dunno, too many options hurt too :)

[sjehuda]

Yes, indeed.

Personally, I want to include all Conversations forks, especially monocles which I use, but the is a political issue we are dealing with, hence we must use our resources in the most efficient manner.

We stil have the link to the bigger list at xmpp.org ;)

[pravi]

I don't think Snikket can replace monocles chat. Snikket needs an invite or an existing xmpp account, it does not support new sign ups. I suggest blabber.im instead of monocles chat as monocles is a fork of blabber.im focusing on monocles service mainly, but blabber.im has unique features compared to conversations.

[pravi]

Kontalk don't work with other xmpp services last time I checked due to incompatible selection of xeps. Kontalk uses gpg but does non standard key sharing so no other client can talk to kontalk.

[pravi]

So if you don't want to add more choices, I suggest adding Quicksy and blabber.im.

[licaon-kter]

Snikket needs an invite or an existing xmpp account

Oh, right, I forgot about that

[sjehuda]

I'm not sure adding two addition, which wil make it 6, is a good idea. Please make it just one. So, which one, blabber.im or Quicksy? @pravi and @licaon-kter I'll act in accord to a common position by the both of you.

[sjehuda]

If you insist on two, then I'll add both of them.

P.S. I'm using monocles and it's not specifc to or locked its network. monocles is surely branded, along with other products and services, similarly to Disroot.

[sjehuda]

Friends, please make up yor mind and pick a client. Pull request #32 is ready and now I'm waiting for your input.

• You might want to consider andother fork called Cheogram.

[pravi]

If the options are too much, may be drop xabber ? May be Bruno too? I never like xabber and I never recommend that to anyone.

[sjehuda]

1. Bruno stays.
2. I also don't recommend on Xabber, but it was the first XMPP client to offer ease of use.
3. For this PR, please select one client.
4. After this PR, we are going to add more clients (maybe 30) that web admins will be able to select from, so please understand that the list is flexible.

On May 21, 2022 5:14:15 AM UTC, Pirate Praveen Arimbrathodiyil @.***> wrote:

If the options are too much, may be drop xabber ? May be Bruno too? I never like xabber and I never recommend that to anyone.

[pravi]

Since the list is arbitrary and biased, just take what you want.

[sjehuda]

On Sat, 21 May 2022 20:07:56 -0700 Pirate Praveen Arimbrathodiyil @.***> wrote:

Since the list is arbitrary and biased, just take what you want.

Alright, I'll revert back to monocles. Once the PR is made, we'll start with DOAP for a customized list.

[sjehuda]

Shall we close this ticket in favour of #34?

[sjehuda]

Since the list is arbitrary and biased, just take what you want.

We can populate the .json files with more than 5 items. We then limit the list to 5 while we push items randomly.

This is the code responsible for appending items fron json:

function show_clients(client_array) {
	var list = document.getElementById('client_list');
	for (var id = 0; id < client_array.length; id++) {
		var item = document.createElement('div');
		item.innerHTML = client_array[id];
		list.appendChild(item);
	}
}

Here is what I've in mind: (I didn't test the code)

function show_clients(client_array) {
	var check = []
	var list = document.getElementById('client_list');
	for (var id = 0; id < client_array.length; id++) {
		var item = document.createElement('div');
		num = Math.floor(Math.random()*client_array.length);
		if (!check.indexOf(num)) {
			check.push(num);
			item.innerHTML = client_array[num];
			list.appendChild(item);
		}
	}
}

Whta should we use to verify that we have already used an index of client_array?

!check.indexOf(num) or !check.includes(num) or what else?

[sjehuda]

Currently, we present a fixed selection of clients (up to 5 clients).

The following code selects random clients (3 at most).

function show_clients(client_array) {
	var check_array = []
	var list = document.getElementById('client_list');
	while (check_array.length < 4) {
		var item = document.createElement('div');
		var ix = Math.floor(Math.random()*client_array.length);
		if (!check_array.includes(client_array[ix])) {
			check_array.push(client_array[ix]);
			item.innerHTML = client_array[ix];
			list.appendChild(item);
		}
	}
}

Here's code with lines of console.log: main.js.txt (rename to main.js)

Should we place Math.floor(Math.random()*client_array.length); into a function of its own? (e.g. radom())

[sjehuda]

If the options are too much, may be drop xabber ? May be Bruno too? I never like xabber and I never recommend that to anyone.

@pravi I need your feedback, please.

When the items are random upon every page reload, do you think we should include Bruno & Xabber?

[pravi]

@sjehuda I would prefer excluding unmaintained apps. I think both xabber and bruno are unmaintained. xabber seems even removed from google play store. Last update on Bruno was in October 2020. Badly maintained apps give a very bad impression to new users.

[sjehuda]

On Thu, 09 Mar 2023 05:25:52 -0800 Pirate Praveen Arimbrathodiyil @.***> wrote:

@sjehuda I would prefer excluding unmaintained apps. I think both xabber and bruno are unmaintained. xabber seems even removed from google play store. Last update on Bruno was in October 2020. Badly maintained apps give a very bad impression to new users.

The impression argument is important.

What about Xabber Classic which is the F-Droid store?

@ge0rg, what do you think?

[pravi]

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.xabber.android.classic/ is last updated on 2015-07-18

[pravi]

If we use compliance suites to filter out clients https://xmpp.org/software/ If we choose core for base compliance, instant messaging, mobile and calls. Only Cheogram, conversations, blabber.im and monocles are listed. if other clients gain compliance later, we can add them back at that time. If we choose advanced compliance, only cheogram fits.