---
date: 2021-07-31T19:30:00+02:00
weight: 0
authors:
    - cblte
    - creme
---

# Matrix at envs.net
Matrix is a free and open, secure, decentralized protocol for real-time communication, also known by the name of one of its clients, Element.

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In recent years, the need for supporting digital tools for team collaboration has increased. A central tool is a team chat. According to Wikipedia, a chat refers to "electronic communication by means of written text in real time, usually via the Internet". ([Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chat)). With a messenger team members can make each other aware of current information and especially share links (*hyperlinks* / *links*) for further collaboration (e.g. for finding appointments, collaborative writing, planning events, editing data, code, mind maps,). Due to the lack of a centralized offer so far, many teams at TU Dresden have been looking for their own solutions, some of which are privacy-critical or cannot be linked to other systems.

In order to meet the demand for real-time communication, the open communication protocol Matrix was introduced in a pilot operation at the TU Dresden at the end of 2018, after a comparative analysis of several potential solution options, and presented to the CIO in April 2019. In autumn 2019, the pilot operation was transferred to regular operation. e.g. [digital](https://invidious.13ad.de/AtkA-sE-9uU) [teaching](https://invidious.13ad.de/jEvKdFTKSxU) (Videos by Prof. Lasch) with Matrix in addition to the [OPAL](https://bildungsportal.sachsen.de/opal) application.

## Topics

* [Why Matrix and no other chat system?](why/why.md)
* [How can Matrix be used? (registration and first steps)](first-steps.md)
* [Recommendations for further important settings after first login](settings/_index.en.md)
* [Installation of a client / program](clients/_index.en.md)
    * [Browsersettings](clients/browser.en.md)
* [Find people and send direct messages](messaging/_index.en.md)
* [Use end-to-end encryption](encryption/_index.en.md)
* [Create rooms and take responsibility](rooms/_index.en.md)
    * [Sharing rooms and making them public](rooms/sharing.en.md)
    * [Find rooms](rooms/find/_index.en.md)
    * [Delete and leave rooms](rooms/delete/_index.en.md)
* [Fine-tune notifications](notifications/_index.en.md)
* [Use integrations, bridges, bots (e.g. Jitsi)](integrations/_index.en.md)
* [More Clients](clients/more_clients.en.md)
* [Using communities as room filters](communities/_index.en.md)
* [Further development of Matrix](development/_index.en.md)
* [Privacy policy](privacy/_index.en.md)
* [Imprint](imprint/_index.en.md)
* [Declaration of Accessibility](accessibility/_index.en.md)

### Questions and Contact

Please address general questions to the service desk envs.net:

https://envs.net/impressum/

The ideal is to deal with problems in a transparent way, from which all others can learn. This can be done by describing the situation in the Matrix Support Room - here problems and solutions can be discussed together:

[https://matrix.to/#/#home:envs.net](https://matrix.to/#/#home:envs.net)

<span class="notice">
For some anomalies you can try to empty the cache and reload everything: Settings > Help & About > Clear Cache and reload
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<span class="warning">
Current maintenance is announced in the matrix room [/TODO ADD MATRIX ROOM HERE]).
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