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Community Chat

SeaGL’s community meets on both Matrix and IRC:

Matrix

Join #SeaGL:seagl.org in your preferred client, or:

Join Space

IRC

Join #SeaGL on Libera.Chat in your preferred client, or:

Open Web Chat

The two systems are bridged so you can use either option. If you’re not sure which to choose, we recommend Matrix.

About Matrix

Matrix is a modern chat system that:

  • offers popular features—group chat rooms, private messaging, message formatting, image and file sharing, voice and video calling, software integrations, and email notifications
  • is decentralized like email—Your account is “at” the provider of your choice, but you can communicate seamlessly across providers.

Getting started

Many options are available, but we recommend:

  • For a service provider, use Matrix.org, a public service operated by a non-profit foundation.
  • For client software, use Element, an open source application for a variety of platforms including the web.

To begin:

  1. Open the Element web interface.
  2. Create an account.
  3. At Add room → Explore public rooms, enter #SeaGL:seagl.org and click Join.

About IRC

IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is a text-based chat system that:

  • has an established history of use by internet communities and open source software projects
  • is ephemeral by default—If you’re not connected, you miss group chats and can’t be messaged.
  • can be used without registration of an account

Getting started

For short-term use, for example to ask a brief question or attend office hours, open the web chat above.

In the long term, you’ll likely want to:

  1. Install client software on your computer.
  2. Reserve your nickname.
  3. Consider operating a bouncer or signing up for a hosted service that provides a persistent connection.

Video meetings

Some rooms such as Office Hours are set up for optional video meetings. In addition to text chat via Matrix and IRC, a shared video call is available via Jitsi Meet. To access it:

  • A link to the video call will be available in the topic of the Matrix room and IRC channel. You can join the call by opening the link in your web browser or Jitsi Meet app.
  • If you’re using Element, the video call will be integrated into your view of the Matrix room.