This is not entirely fair - there are loads of very functional independent Matrix client implementations today already (Element, FluffyChat, Nheko, Hydrogen, Fractal-next, Neochat etc), and a growing number of independent server impls too (Synapse, Dendrite, Conduit, Polyjuice…).
It’s true to compare Matrix with WHATWG though - we used the model of WHATWG’s pragmatism as a direct inspiration for Matrix as an implementation-first approach, where we’d then write an open governance spec (having proven it worked) as per https://spec.matrix.org and eventually merge it into an established standards body like W3C or IETF when stable.
Re:Adopting Matrix at the Gnome Foundation
by a1369209993 on Sunday May 01, 2022 @05:44PM
(#31228985)
> there are loads of very functional independent Matrix client implementations []today[]
There used to be loads of very functional independent web browsers too. There still are, if you count "only works with websites that haven't been up^Wworsegraded in the past decade and a half" as "functional".
Re:Adopting Matrix at the Gnome Foundation
by octoberfranklin on Tuesday May 03, 2022 @12:29AM
(#31244629)
> there are loads of very functional independent Matrix client implementations
No, there's only one.
Matrix tries to confuse people by calling the important part of the client a "homeserver".
If someone cares about internet standards they probably use XMPP instead of Matrix.
Re:Adopting Matrix at the Gnome Foundation
by aaaaaaaaata on Sunday May 01, 2022 @09:47AM
(#31224979)
> IRC is an IETF standard
v1?
v2?
v3?
Re:Adopting Matrix at the Gnome Foundation
by octoberfranklin on Tuesday May 03, 2022 @03:13PM
(#31252277)
TLS?
v1?
v1.2?
v1.3?
What is the point of your comment?
It's going to turn out like TheWeb(tm), where there are only one and a half clients to choose from and instead of a protocol with real standards you just get pseudocode documenting whatever the current version of the dominant client does.
IRC is an IETF standard. Matrix has gone the WHATWG route.