To join us on our Matrix space, please follow these steps:
- Register a SPLINE account via https://accounts.spline.de/register. Please use your real name as the account name, since this helps improve the accessibility and transparency of the platform. If you already have an account that you used for Mattermost, you can continue using the same one.
- If you are already a Matrix user on a different server (maybe from your university), it is possible to join our space and all the rooms with the Matrix-account you are already using. The link below should still work.
- Join the stsing-space via https://matrix.to/#/#stsing:matrix.spline.de.
- Choose a matrix interface/client. The most widely used one is called "Element" and the steps to join are only shown for Element. You are welcome to use a different Matrix client but you would need to troubleshoot yourself.
- Most apps provide both a browser-based and an desktop or mobile app-based interface for Matrix. Choose an app (in our case Element) and either browser or standalone app to continue.
- Login using your credentionals from spline. You will have to edit the "Homeserver" (1), and set it to matrix.spline.de (2).
(1)
(2)
- You can join new chats (and also working groups) by clicking the arrow next to "stsing" on the left panel and choosing "Space home".
This will open a screen where all open chats of our space are listed and you are welcome to join them.
- Please find further information in the following pad, which is also the welcome message in the main-chat in our Matrix space.
Known issues and how-to
- Make sure to choose the correct server when logging in if you did not use Matrix before (matrix.spline.de).
- Make sure to choose the correct option when logging into your spline account to get into Matrix (Username or Email address).
- When you create a new Room/Channel make sure to set the type to "Public room" if you want stsing members who are on a different Matrix server to be able to join. Also, make sure to disable end-to-end encryption, since this might interfere with others being able to join and read the conversation.
- Closed Rooms/Channels are also possible if you set it to "Private room".
- Invitations to rooms seems not to work very well in general. So there is an issue where you may not be able to invite others into if its access is set to invite only ("Private room").
- Solution: Go into the room settings -> Security & Privacy -> set Access to "Anyone" for a short time. Now the room should be visible in the list of rooms for our stsing space and others can join. (You would need to coordinate with whoever you want to invite). For now we don't know a different way to deal with this if this problem arises.
- If you do not have cookies enabled in your browser or do not use the app for Element, you will be asked every time you log in to "Confirm your digital identity". This cannot be disabled as far as we know. If you log in without confirming (by pressing "Can't confirm?") you can reset your digital identity and still log in. The downside is that any direct messages you had with others cannot be reconstructed for this account now (You will get a message with "Historical messages are not available on this device" showing up in any chat you open).
- This is the reason why we advise to disable end-to-end encryption for any rooms/channels you create. Otherwise users who reset their identity cannot read past messages.
- If you delete cookies in your browser we recommend to use the Element app to dodge this issue.
Questions on Matrix and Element
- Q: How can I change my password?
- A: log in to SPLINE account via accounts.spline.de and you will find the password global settings at the top of the page.
- Q: How can I change my email address?
- A: log in to SPLINE account via accounts.spline.de and you will find the email address global settings at the top of the page.
- Q: I have some questions regarding how to use Element.
- A: There is a general FAQ here: https://element.io/en/help. Please remember that the things under "Account management" don't apply, since we are not using matrix.org accounts.
- Q: I have another question. Whom to contact?
- A: Write to us in Matrix, or drop a message to Markus Hoffmann (part of the board) if you have any other questions.