FluffyChat has a decently similar interface, but it takes effort to set it up to be similar.
Matrix just isn’t a Discord alternative flatout to me. It’s too different.
We really do a lack a Discord alternative right now. I know of two major examples: Stoat and Root. Both centralised. This is offputting to many, altough Stoat is actually UK-based which could in theory mitigate concerns about US big-tech.
The only down-the-line federated potential is something called “Roomy”, and I am following it - but it’s too basic right now.
I would not consider UK-based to be any better than US-based. The UK seems to have a major hate-on for anonymity, privacy, and encryption.
This is true, but also Ofcom runs affairs here and Stoat is likely too small for the forseeable to be even noticed by them.
Remember UK regulatory bodies are known for their ignorance and incompetence.
Security by obscurity is not security.
Fair enough. Truthfully I doubt Stoat can ever get that big (especially as it seems Root has a much faster development cycle and is likely to suck up any momentum they might have).
How is Root any better than Discord? I’ve never heard of it, but very quick search revealed it’s not open source, not federated, not even possible to self host, is US based, has venture capital interests already.
Too small to be corrupted?
I just used Root as an example here. There isn’t a federated alternative of any note unfortunately.
Well, yet, maybe? I’ve heard similar about Guilded, which looked pretty much like Root does now, but it got bought by Roblox and later dismissed (dissolved into Roblox). I fear there’s no other future than this for Root too :-(
