Jabber/XMPP: 25 Years of Digital Independence

JMAP, a modern replacement for IMAP and SMTP Submission, which is not too dissimilar from Matrix—a JSON API over HTTP—started within Fastmail before being brought to the IETF.

Not only was JMAP noticeably improved on a protocol level while going through the IETF working group process, but it now has at least three independent servers and numerous independent client applications

Indeed JMAP has improved over the years, I've never used Fastmail, but are now using JMAP through stalwart, aerc and sterna. Stalwart even uses it as its 'settings language'. And there is support for file synchronization.

Matrix reinvented the wheel as a rubber-tyred metro. On paper, it provides real benefits, such as climbing steeper inclines, which are then used to aggressively advertise and lobby local governments to buy in. But in the end, the municipality gets locked into a single vendor.

Daniel found a perfect metaphor for describing Matrix :).