Is this a new kid in the block?
Repository: ArcaneChat · GitHub
Discussion: https://lemmy.world/post/25562896
Marketing: https://arcanechat.me/
Comparison (Delta ≈ Arcane): Comparison of Instant Messengers
Another messenger? 
Footnote: This is not a thread requesting to review or include the tool. This is just to bring awareness about the existence of it, since I didn’t see any discussion about.
I don’t understand how this is not just Delta Chat.
color me surprised, It was obvious.
Given that it is developed by one of the DeltaChat maintainers, it moreso just seems to be a fork with a preset server and extra features they want or before they merge into the main app. It doesn’t seem to be trying to compete with it and it is nice to have more choices.
For those who use Delta Chat, they may be interested in it.
But in general it is yet another chat platform furthering the divide.
Hi, I am the creator of ArcaneChat, and one of the developers of Delta Chat. ArcaneChat is not “another platform furthering the divide” it is just a Delta Chat client and fully compatible with other Delta Chat clients. The advantage besides nice extra features, is extra security by enforcing encryption, the arcanechat.me server doesn’t allow unencrypted messages at all. Notice that ArcaneChat is a federated app so this doesn’t mean everyone needs to use the same server. Several of initial ArcaneChat features are part of the Delta Chat client today and it is likely also the server hardening I did will also be part of the official server deployment recomended by Delta Chat.
If by “another platform” you were talking about Delta Chat in general, well email was there even before the web itself, you should then complain about all the plethora of messaging platforms that came afterwards trying to reinvent the wheel instead of just improving email and using standards.
I do think Delta Chat and friends are their own platform given that while it was just originally email+AutoCrypt, the introduction of Secure Join is far less available in other clients which does quite literally divide the ecosystem even more.
“secure join” is not a requirement, it is just a side effect of invite links, as long as it is encrypted email with AutoCrypt support, it will work, other email clients allow importing keys and Delta Chat clients allow it as well via vcards
you can use Delta Chat even completely unencrypted with a classic email account, the “chatmail” servers are just email servers configured to force encryption because they have open registration and that way they can avoid spam, but you don’t need to use those if you don’t care about secure communication, ex. you can use Delta Chat with a gmail account, and chat with people that don’t even use Delta Chat, no need for “Secure Join”, AutoCrypt or any encryption at all
it is a Delta Chat client, in that sense it is “just Delta Chat” the same way SchildiChat or FluffyChat are “just Element/Matrix”
One of the more important features privacy-wise is that it comes with the arcanechat.me registration server that makes it completely impossible to send or receive any unencrypted message, a list of some other differences can be found here:
ArcaneChat | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository
cc @GorujoCY
