Merge pull request #2696 from matrix-org/MTRNord/twim-2025-04-18

TWIM 18.04.2025

Author: MTRNord

content/blog/2025/04/2025-04-18-twim.md

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+date = "2025-04-18"
+title = "This Week in Matrix 2025-04-18"
+path = "/blog/2025/04/18/this-week-in-matrix-2025-04-18"
+
+[taxonomies]
+author = ["MTRNord"]
+category = ["This Week in Matrix"]
++++
+
+## Dept of *Status of Matrix* 🌡️
+
+[Matthew](https://matrix.to/#/@matthew:matrix.org) reports
+
+> We've recently seen serious spam attacks against Matrix, so we're introducing Policy Servers to recommend whether servers should accept or discard events *before* they get synced to clients. If your server participates in public rooms, see <https://matrix.org/blog/2025/04/introducing-policy-servers> to keep it safe.
+
+<!-- more -->
+
+## Dept of Clients 📱
+
+### Fractal ([website](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/fractal))
+
+Matrix messaging app for GNOME written in Rust.
+
+[Kévin Commaille](https://matrix.to/#/@zecakeh:tedomum.net) says
+
+> Here comes Fractal 11.rc. New since 11.beta:
+>
+> * Rearranged account settings, with a new Safety tab
+> * New setting to toggle media preview visibility
+> * Sessions can be renamed
+> * Support for login using the OAuth 2.0 API (as used by matrix.org, which recently made the switch to Matrix Authentication Service)
+> * Contiguous state events are grouped behind a single item
+>
+> But what does RC stand for? Really Cool? Reasonably Complete? Rose Colored¹? Release Candidate, of course! That means it should be mostly stable and we expect to only include minor improvements until the release of Fractal 11.
+>
+> As usual, this release includes other improvements, fixes and new translations thanks to all our contributors, and our upstream projects.
+>
+> It is available to install via Flathub Beta, see the [instructions in our README](https://gitlab.gnome.org/World/fractal#installation-instructions).
+>
+> If you want to join the fun, you can try to fix one of our [newcomers issues](https://gitlab.gnome.org/World/fractal/-/issues/?label_name%5B%5D=4.%20Newcomers). We are always looking for new contributors!
+>
+> ¹ That was actually once true, with Fractal 9.rc.
+
+### Element X Android ([website](https://github.com/vector-im/element-x-android))
+
+Android Matrix messenger application using the Matrix Rust SDK and Jetpack Compose.
+
+[Benoit](https://matrix.to/#/@benoit.marty:matrix.org) says
+
+> * We've made a security release 25.04.2 this week. Make sure to install the latest version of the application from the PlayStore (F-Droid build is in progress)
+> * We are working on improving accessibility of the application specifically on the timeline. Also fixing bugs regarding the screen reader. Some UI elements were not focusable.
+> * In the mean time, we're helping the moderation team by adding ability to block and report room and invitation.
+
+## Dept of Services 🚀
+
+### [MatrixRooms.info](https://matrixrooms.info/) Updates
+
+[Aine [don't DM]](https://matrix.to/#/@aine:etke.cc) says
+
+> [MatrixRooms.info](https://matrixrooms.info/) is a demo [MRS](https://github.com/etkecc/mrs) instance by [etke.cc](https://etke.cc/) that provides you the weekly Federation Stats, and today I'd like to tell about the website updates made by [beastafk](https://matrix.to/#/@beastafk:etke.cc)
+>
+> **Communities spotlight**
+>
+> On the main page of the website, a new section has been added - communities spotlight. It randomly picks one of the example search terms and shows the most relevant (small) communities that need *you*. We hope that section will help smaller Matrix rooms to be discovered and grow!
+>
+> *this section has strict filters (members: 5-500, language: English, avatar: must be set), but sometimes there are no rooms eligible for the filter criteria, in that case, just the first 10 most relevant rooms are shown as a workaround*
+>
+> **Search relevancy modes**
+>
+> Previously, the website scored search results by members (highest priority), and relevancy (lower priority). Now you choose what relevancy mode you prefer - most relevant (but usually small) rooms, or highest members count (less relevant)
+>
+> **Option to not share report with homeserver and room admins**
+>
+> When you report a room, there is a new option that prevents sharing the report with homeserver and room admins of the reported room, useful when the admins themselves are bad actions, [details](https://github.com/etkecc/mrs/issues/3)
+>
+> **And much more smaller changes!**
+>
+> Apart from the new features described above, the website got plenty of smaller updates and visual fixes
+>
+> Check it out on [MatrixRooms.info](https://matrixrooms.info/)
+
+## Matrix Federation Stats
+
+[Aine [don't DM]](https://matrix.to/#/@aine:etke.cc) reports
+
+> collected by [MatrixRooms.info](https://matrixrooms.info/?utm_source=twim&utm_medium=matrix&utm_campaign=federation-stats) - an [MRS](https://github.com/etkecc/mrs) instance by [etke.cc](https://etke.cc?utm_source=twim&utm_medium=matrix&utm_campaign=federation-stats)
+>
+> As of today, `11293` Matrix federateable servers have been discovered by matrixrooms.info, `3334` (`29.5%`) of them are publishing their rooms directory over federation.
+> The published directories contain `18702` rooms.
+>
+> Stats timeline is available on [MatrixRooms.info/stats](https://matrixrooms.info/stats/?utm_source=twim&utm_medium=matrix&utm_campaign=federation-stats)
+>
+> [How to add your server](https://matrixrooms.info/indexing/?utm_source=twim&utm_medium=matrix&utm_campaign=federation-stats) | [How to remove your server](https://matrixrooms.info/deindexing/?utm_source=twim&utm_medium=matrix&utm_campaign=federation-stats)
+
+## Dept of Ping 🏓
+
+Here we reveal, rank, and applaud the homeservers with the lowest ping, as measured by [pingbot](https://github.com/maubot/echo), a [maubot](https://github.com/maubot/maubot) that you can host on your own server.
+
+### [#ping:maunium.net](https://matrix.to/#/#ping:maunium.net)
+
+Join [#ping:maunium.net](https://matrix.to/#/#ping:maunium.net) to experience the fun live, and to find out how to add YOUR server to the game.
+
+|Rank|Hostname|Median MS|
+|:---:|:---:|:---:|
+|1|codestorm.net|227.5|
+|2|beeper.com|235|
+|3|conduwu.it|260.5|
+|4|usbpc.xyz|284|
+|5|calitabby.net|352|
+|6|maunium.net|372|
+|7|tomfos.tr|389.5|
+|8|littlevortex.net|422|
+|9|gingershaped.computer|426|
+|10|yipping.zone|433|
+
+## That's all I know
+
+See you next week, and be sure to stop by [#twim:matrix.org](https://matrix.to/#/#twim:matrix.org) with your updates!
+
+To learn more about how to prepare an entry for TWIM check out [the TWIM guide](https://matrix.org/twim-guide).