Developing a call only Matrix client with crowdfunding
As of 2021-06-19 72 USD out of 200 USD has been reached.
The story
It had been a very long time which I wanted to start developing a Matrix client with voice call support for KaiOS. Before that I had tried developing a Jitsi Meet app for KaiOS letting KaiOS users have group voice chat with their feature smartphones, which failed due to their ToS.
What is Matrix?
Matrix is an open and federated protocol for chatting which supports End to End Encryption, 1 to 1 voice and video calls(support for group calls is experimental). Is it also possible to integrate other chat applications like XMPP, Telegram, Discord, IRC, etc into Matrix using bridges.
What am I going to do?
I want to create a Matrix call only app for KaiOS letting users of this platform to use 1 to 1 calls, especially voice call. I need at least 350 US dollars to work on it as a job about 15 hours a week and to get a Nokia 800 Tough which costs me about 120 dollars 90 dollars in my country.
Note that I've got a 8110(aka the bananaphone) but its keypad is almost dead.
Donators' name as well as the amount they've donated shall be written in Credits/About tab of the app visible to everyone who uses the app. If you want your name to be written you MUST email me your crypto public key before making the transaction
hapu [at] riseup [dot] net
I already have written a prototype of a Matrix app which let's you login and see a list of your “DMs” and start a voice call as well. However this prototype needs to be rewritten, most parts at least if not everything.
License of the software
The Matrix app source code will be available to all for free on some site like Github under GPLv3. It will be available on BananaHackers store as well.
Stages
So I split the development in the following stages:
Stage 1 -once 200 dollars is reached, summer vacation has started and I have bought a Nokia 800 Tough- will be an app with the following features:
- Login with username and password is possible only.
- You could see a list of DMs
- Invites are auto-accepted
- Possible to start a voice call with someone or receive voice call as long as the app's running
- The app will be extensible letting us add other Matrix features later easily
Stage 2 -once 300 dollars is reached and stage 1 has been done, includes push notification for incoming calls enabling users to receive calls even if the Matrix app is not running. This requires some server software as well as some modification in the KaiOS app. Also invites are no longer auto-accepted.
Finally Stage 3 adds video call functionality once 350 dollars is reached and also tries to improve the UI as well as performance.
Limitations
Due to memory hungry design of matrix-js-sdk, users might not be able to use the app with their account if they have joined large rooms.
Another thing is that I won't be sending the app to KaiStore due to their foolish rules for Voice over IP apps.
Tech stack
Tech stack for the KaiOS app, most likely, will be either ReactJS or InfernoJS as well as Adrian's KaiUI. And for the push notification server software it would be either Python or Rust which is preferred.
Entering the campaign
So if you want to enter the campaign, send cryptocurrency to one of the addresses below and remember even small amounts would help:
EDIT: The campaign has ended, check the same blog for status of the project.
BTC: 1Lv3FRzqcG7GhLcAMrHDwXAN6dMbfLu78g
BCH: 1AGk1t3oCxeTqYX9kAUJHFULdP32D4d6d6
Check how much was raised here for Bitcoin and here for Bitcoin cash.
You don't have crypto? No problem you could buy some from places like Coinbase or Kraken or other exchanges.