I guess the bar is pretty high for consumer messengers these days?
Stickers provide utility beyond beyond a fun way to communicate. Stickers, emoji reactions, voice notes, etc. are things we tend to see denigrated here, but are also non-optional features for a messaging app in the year 2016.
So long as the masses of sticker users would recognize them as such, then that's fine, I think.
I can't imagine seriously aspiring to get everyone I know to download a messaging app in the year 2026 that doesn't have these features at a minimum.
I remember reading a feature request and it was put off on the reasoning of "server-based breaks our encryption and client-based doesn't work well enough". Makes sense but I don't think the latter point is still true, and Matrix is too focused on encryption IMO. In large open rooms there's no point to it because anyyone who wants to can join anyway.
but those synchronization issues... if I want to be sure something reaches the rest of the team in a timely manner, I have reverted back to email
Will you please let every single instance of any piece of Matrix infrastructure know? Nothing appears to be respecting this rule.
You know, for half of the time you spend commenting over here to save face (or something), you could work with your users and see their firsthand experience for yourself.
On most other platforms it's usually more the stick than the carrot (pay up or we bombard you with ads) and it's tons more expensive, eg Instagram alone costs 3x as much.
Differently designed apps for social and professional life is a good idea! A streamlined app focused only on essential functionality is the best way to ensure meaningful coordination.
It is mentally taxing when critical work updates are buried under reactions, glitter, and casual banter. Moving memes and family updates to a dedicated 'leisure' app allows for a high-signal environment.
Something that gets things done, but also something where quick reactions are painful to do would be perfect.
To summarize the great big problem with Matrix: It's no fun. No fun at all.
People how love messaging are the bane of professional communication. You need to tell them to shout up, and tone down, but you want to do it politely. Just one person in a group that sends haha and gif to response to every message in a group is painful to deal with.
Two Apps is the solution.
For now, you can override which server to use for the stickers. There’s an implementation that downloads Telegram sticker packs (but you have to specify which packs you want before deploying it).
For example: What if matrix could be used like email! now that would make it stand out won't it? i.e.: DANmode@danssite.net , you could post your matrix address like that, and matrix clients could resolve it using SRV records for matrix, and querying the correct homeserver designated on danssite.net. It could be marketed as an email replacement. You could ask sites to support it for registrations instead of email.
Or.. what if it supported custom gif reactions, record yourself doing something, save it as a custom emoji, and you can use it in any chat.
That's what I mean, lots of good ideas to pull from that makes it so that "use matrix because <it can do this better>" , instead of because it's more private or secure, or whatever.
We are here.