[shantly]

IRC and XMPP are relatively easy to set up servers for, too. I looked at Matrix a little while ago and it's a serious PITA by comparison, so far as going from zero to achieving client-talking-to-server. Of course the company behind it appears to make their money selling hosting, so....

[SamWhited]

yah, the protocol is pretty crap too (for chat anyways, maybe it has other applications but they push it for chat pretty hard core). Don't get me wrong, IRC and XMPP have their problems, but I'd avoid Matrix at all costs. I was really hopeful it was a good alternative at first (before I get accused of bias for joining the XMPP Standards foundation for a while), but in the end I picked XMPP and I try to work to make that better instead (while still using IRC for group chats due to network effect and my deep love of IRSSI).