Rocket Chat Module

Feature
1

Rocket.chat Rocket.Chat: Communications Platform You Can Fully Trust .
Is an enterpirse communication chat room just like slack, and a super contendor to mattermost, which we have as a module.

Over the years, we have seen Rocket Chat mature at a fast pace, and now seems to offer a significant more value compared to mattermost.

While Both can be used a s enterpise tools, Rocket.chat has a significant number of interoperability as well as Ticker intergration with Tools we already use.

Rocket Chat NExtcloud integration
As seen below
Nextcloud Rocket.Chat App - Rocket.Chat Docs

Rocket Chat and Nextcloud seem to be working together more closely to provide a more tighter integration.
and a rocket chat app for nextcloud is available here: Rocket.Chat - Apps - App Store - Nextcloud
With Detailed Documentation and featur list listed here
Not Only does it just offer chat app inside nextcloud,

it also offers fantastic WebDav support for nextcloud as seen here
Nextcloud and WebDAV integrations - Rocket.Chat Docs

While @giacomo pointed at these statements below when looking for a chat solution for nethserver

After looking for a while on other solutions (Zapier, Matrix, Rocket Chat), we think that Mattermost is the easiest and robust Team Chat for NethServer.
here: Mattermost module - Feature - NethServer Community

I think so far Rocket chat has reached a significant maturity class so far compared to what it offered before,

and the fact that it offers Ldap/AD out of the Box.SAML and Oauth. i think its a perfect fit, when paired with builtin Ldap, or the LLNG module in Nethserver.

Not To mention, it has a website Live chat function, for those whow require.

What do you guys think, is this Something We can Have in Nethserver 7, and Hopefully in the new Upcoming NS8?

Installation
Looking at this install method.
Rocket.Chat on Debian - Rocket.Chat Docs

We can Note, it uses NodeJS as well as MongoDb.
Both of which were used in the installation of Meshcentral here

So, just my thoughts…

1 Like
2

Hi @oneitonitram

I’ve had to use RocketChat 1-2 years ago, and simply said, It Sucks!

Upgrade issues on Mac / Windows.
Web Interface doesn’t show images, and much more.
Editing a typo in a post afterwards, like Discourse offers here? No way!

No thanks!

My 2 cents
Andy

1 Like
3

As said, over the years… that was 2 years ago. even Nethserver itself has sen great improvements in the duration.

As it is, we have Mattermost, and Matrix element. For majority, matrix is too geeky and complex a system for them.
for others mattermost us too Enterprisey

4

IMHO, it’s not improved enough.
Discourse is still MUCH better!

5

But Discourse is not a chat and communication tool. it is a community forum.

6

It works well as a chat, it has well working mobile clients…
I don’t “see” any real difference.
Maybe for closed user groups.

7

You’re comparing apples and Volvos. No, Discourse isn’t a chat tool.

It’s been a long time since I looked at Rocket.Chat (I played with it on SME before I moved to NS), and don’t really have a lot of interest in a chat tool in any event–but it would seem the way to implement it would be using Docker (since node.js seems to have no forward or backward compatibility), and that would certainly better fit with NS8.

1 Like
8

@danb35

I’ve had to use it in 2020 and 2021 for a client, they used that as internal chat tool for their Devs and other employees…

Internally, I might add, they were all the time discussing alternatives, but never made a real decision to migrate to any alternative…

And I just don’t have a high opinion of that App due to operational issues all the time, and reflected that under IMHO…

As you, I also don’t have much interest in a chat tool, not much use for my kind of environment or my personal use, but that’s just me.

My 2 cents
Andy

9

if thats the case, then containerize it is.
So the core would be, getting Ldap working on Initial Installation.

Also, possibly setting up SAML via the LLNG Module

10

Well, the first thing to do would be to get it running in the first place. That seems like it ought to be straightforward enough using docker-compose. From there, if you want it to authenticate against your existing users (rather than having its own set of users), yes, you’d want to get LDAP/AD authentication working, or if you want to get fancy, SAML/LLNG. But one thing at a time.

1 Like
11

Rocket chat allows to use ldap, it is not the case for mattermost and the community edition.

However I prefer to use mattermost, my experience of the user interface of rocket chat is not so good.

I hope the android client is better too because the first review of users in the android play market is not good

1 Like
12

in terms of interoperability, I think Matrix- element(and some other interface)

Does take the crown, the biggest challenge is that, everything and every configuration has to be managed from the CLI, does not have a robust admin panel.

Unless in NS8 we could build that one config at a time, before element does it. (though element does have one for the hosted versions)

Generally matrix ticks a significant number of boxes, least the admin interface. oh and i am not sure it supports guest users…

there is an upcoming rocket and nextcloud conference. it would be very interesting if rocket.chat and nextcloud join hands to build a robust chat tool, and nextcloud does away with NC talk module.

I noticed a significant numbe rof members in this community do not like nextcloud talk

13

Not yet :slight_smile:

I’m using it and it works like a charm

3 Likes
14

That “PRE-ALPHA” label it translates to “nitroglycerin” to me.
If the developer can’t call it a beta still…

15

Sure, but the Discourse folks have a pretty good track record. I wouldn’t consider it production-ready at this time, but the chances are good they’ll finish it in a timely manner, and when they do, that it’ll be pretty good. How it will compare to Rocket.Chat, MatterMost, Matrix, Nextcloud Talk, or whatever else is TBD, of course.

1 Like
16

I can’t agree more :slight_smile:

17

Any of these softwares/modules have a slight different scenario.
Discourse-Chat seem a backpack for avoiding the escape from discourse to something else with integrate chat or Mattermost/Slack
The same for NextCloud and NextCloud Chat.
Matrix and Rocket Chat i don’t have any experience.

The integrated and connected mobile app is a huge positive point for delivery the solution to the customer.
But… the capabilities for interoperating protocols could be also a great addon.

The other side of the knife: updates and… matchmaking among other modules.
Currently the experience which suits better to the issue is the “eager” for so-called-major-releases for Nextcloud. Which should’t be touched for some weeks for production environments, unless a will for a LOT of tickets.

18

And nextcloud 24 is already around the corner. These guys should limit one major release per year. With updates to modules functions instead.
I have this software we use internally, the developer kept releasing updates almost sometime weekly. We had to call him out to limit atleast once a month. Regular updates can be frustrating at times

19

Credit to the info that i didn not catch…
The post is dated early december, @alefattorini is talking about Discourse Chat at the end of March.
Four months for a skilled and dedicated team are quite a good time to remove biggest burrs, start polishing edges, buff the surface.
Therefore, the experience is having Alessio could be lot closer to a “let’s start experiment” with a small team of people.

20

Not quite true, this is a huge assumption, as there could be many things into the picture.

the chat function could be a prodcut by a new eprson in the team, or a small team in the organisation, thereby not getting the same amount of resources an attentions