Matrix-doc: .well-known everywhere

[notramo]

Currently, Element doesn't do .well-known verification in every case, because the spec doesn't mandates.
As an user, I don't wan't to think about where my server is located actually. I just want to use the address that is in my Matrix ID, after the : character. Just like with e-mail, if my address ends with @tutanota.com, then I say to register at tutanota.com to someone when I recommend secure e-mail to them, and if ends with @protonmail.com, then I say register at protonmail.com.
The downsides of having the user think about the actual address of the server:

• they may don't know it, and there is no way to guess it from the second part of the Matrix ID without knowing the path of .well-known - not noob friendly
• they may use the actual address in their Matrix ID
• Why should they think about it, when it is easy to do it in the app automatically? (The functions already exist in many app, they should simply call them at other places too.)

Element Android does .well-known discovery even in the server selection screen, which is not spec compliant, but it provides a lot bettex UX. (Tested it with numerous users.)

[turt2live]

Element Android does .well-known discovery even in the server selection screen, which is not spec compliant

It is spec compliant. There is no requirement saying it can't do this.

[notramo]

https://github.com/vector-im/element-web/issues/15568#issuecomment-716842381

[turt2live]

the comment isn't wrong, just misinterpreted. The spec wants to be used only at login time because it doesn't make much sense to use it at registration time, however there's nothing wrong with using it at not-login time.

[MTRNord]

Tbh even if it wouldn't be spec compliant (it is spec compliant) it just makes sense to have it even on register. Users know about the domain part of the mxid as it is mostly the main domain while very few know the server address as it might basicly pointing anywhere (see conduit for example. Timos server points to a whole different domain. The user wont know that unless he manually checks the well-known file)

[notramo]

Users know about the domain part of the mxid as it is mostly the main domain while very few know the server address as it might basicly pointing anywhere

That's exactly the case. And teaching non-techie users this .well-known stuff is not something anybody want to. And they don't want to learn. You are talking about making it user friendly. What's the benefit of teaching them this different server address stuff (what's the difference, and when to use what) when they are already tired becoming familiar with Matrix?

[notramo]

If the user-stories repo would be open, I would create an issue ticket:

As a user, I don't want to think about different server addresses.
I don't want to understand parts of the Matrix protocol that are not necessary for using it.
As most Gmail users don't think about smtp.gmail.com and imap.gmail.com They think about gmail.com

[aaronraimist]

As a user, I don't want to think about different server addresses.

This 100,000 times ⬆

The client .well-known file should be encouraged to the point of almost being mandatory for server admins.

Clients should prefer to look up a .well-known file and greatly de-emphasize manually entering in the homeserver URL.

Users should not be taught or need to learn what their homeserver URL is. They should be taught your username is @bob:mymatrixserver.org and that's it. Enter in your username and you can login.