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SeaGL’s community meets on both Matrix and IRC:
Join #SeaGL:seattlematrix.org in your preferred client, or:
Join #SeaGL on Libera.Chat in your preferred client, or:
The two systems are bridged so you can use either option. If you’re not sure which to choose, we recommend 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.
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:
- Open the Element web interface{:target="_blank" rel="noopener"}.
- Create an account.
- At Add room → Explore public rooms, enter
#SeaGL:seattlematrix.organd click Join.
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
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:
- Install client software on your computer.
- Reserve your nickname.
- Consider operating a bouncer or signing up for a hosted service that provides a persistent connection.