[RFC 0094] Use Matrix for Official Chat

rfcs/0094-use-matrix-for-official-chat.md

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+---
+feature: use-matrix-for-official-chat
+start-date: 2020-05-19
+author: Ryan Mulligan
+shepherd-team:
+shepherd-leader:
+---
+
+# Summary
+[summary]: #summary
+
+Switch from IRC ([Freenode](https://freenode.net/)) to
+[Matrix](https://matrix.org/) (#community:nixos.org) as our official
+community chat.
+
+# Motivation
+[motivation]: #motivation
+
+The current official community chat host, Freenode, has lost its
+leadership and its future is uncertain. Many Free Software communities
+are abandoning it, so its network effects may be negative instead of
+positive.
+
+There are currently 1796 members of the Unofficial NixOS Discord
+channel (244 weekly visitors, 95 weekly communicators). Some of them
+might be convinced by the more modern features available on Matrix to
+move their conversations there.
+
+# Detailed design
+[design]: #detailed-design
+
+Update the [NixOS.org community
+page](https://nixos.org/community/index.html) to point to our Matrix
+Space (#community:nixos.org) that has already been created which you
+can join by visting the [Invite
+link](https://app.element.io/#/room/#community:nixos.org).
+
+Update any other places that point to Freenode to point to Matrix
+instead.
+
+# Drawbacks
+[drawbacks]: #drawbacks
+
+People are used to Freenode and it might be harder for people to use
+Matrix, which requires more complex clients.
+
+# Alternatives
+[alternatives]: #alternatives
+
+1. Do nothing
+2. Switch to another IRC network