Ask HN: How did you convince family and friends to join your XMPP/Matrix server?
6 comments
- Points12
- Comments8
–Rank now
#13Peak rank
1Days on list
43Score · 7d
Nov 7, 2026First seen
Rank · 7 days
On Hacker News
I love open-source software and open protocols, but my family and friends primarily communicate through SMS for exactly the reasons in https://xkcd.com/2365/ Whenever XMPP or Matrix threads pop up on HN, several commenters casually mention their "friends and family XMPP (or Matrix) server." How did you convince friends and family to move away from SMS/WhatsApp and replace it with a niche messaging app? My family and friends aren't hardcore nerdy, but they're more tech-savvy than average. Their…
- Points
- 12
- Comments
- 8
- Submitted by
- mtlynch
- Posted
- Nov 7, 2026
Story details from Hacker News ↗.
Trending history
Ask HN: How did you convince family and friends to join your XMPP/Matrix server? was first seen on Hacker News · Front page on Nov 7, 2026. Since then it has appeared in 12 checks on 1 different day. Its best position was #13 of 30, reached on Nov 7, 18:24 UTC. It dropped off the list after Nov 7, 20:09 UTC.
Rank history
Position on Hacker News · Front page at every check (lower is better).
Last 14 days
Best rank per day (UTC).
13
Oct 26today
Metric history
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From the discussion
A few top-level comments from Hacker News, shortened. Read the full thread on Hacker News.
My advice is not specific to Matrix but other self hosted private services. Some of this may or may not be feasible with Matrix. (I have never used Matrix) - Whether family or friends, always suggest it as a "fallback" for when "preferred service" is down and to use when discussion ultra-sensitive topics or sharing…
Curious if you've tried Snikket, and what hurdles you ran into (if you did). I made it with the primary purpose of moving my family communication over to XMPP, and I succeeded with that (improving a bunch of stuff in the process). I'm not claiming it's perfect (a known weak point is the iOS app, but we're actively…
I was in a very different situation. Microsoft decided to stop supporting Skype, which we had been using for 15 or so years. We moved to Matrix.
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Questions
Is Ask HN: How did you convince family and friends to join your XMPP/Matrix server? trending on Hacker News right now?
Not at the moment. It was last on the list on Nov 7, 20:09 UTC, after 1 day of trending.
What is the highest rank Ask HN: How did you convince family and friends to join your XMPP/Matrix server? reached?
#13 on Hacker News · Front page, on Nov 7, 18:24 UTC. Trendoday checks this list every 15 minutes.
How long has Ask HN: How did you convince family and friends to join your XMPP/Matrix server? been trending?
It was first seen on Nov 7, 2026 and has been on the list on 1 day (12 checks) since.
How much discussion did it get on Hacker News?
12 points and 8 comments; submitted by mtlynch on Nov 7, 2026.