Mattermost is the chat/messaging platform that we’re using for communication at Extinction Rebellion Australia. You can join the platform by following the invitation link provided by your local group.
Before proceeding we’d recommend reading through the Welcome to Mattermost section of the Mattermost User Guide. The following is a series of tips that will help you most effectively use of the platform.
Server URL: https://organise.earth
Posting
Before posting consider:
- Why am I talking? (WAIT)
- Has this message been posted already?
- Which channel is appropriate for your message? Avoid duplication across channels.
- Does this message contain sensitive material that may not be suitable for this channel?
- Does the entire channel need to see this message? Could it be a private message instead?
Channel Creation
Before creating a new channel consider:
- What is the purpose of this channel?
- Is there another channel suitable for this discussion?
- If private, is everyone in the channel vouched for?
- Could this be a direct message instead? Direct messages can contain at most 8 users.
Notifying Activists
- Use @username to mention a particular activist. By default this will send them an app notification and an email.
- Using @channel or @all will notify everyone in the channel. Please use this sparingly and only when necessary.
- Using @here will notify everyone who is in the channel and currently online. This is useful for time sensitive messages.
- In your account settings you can list words that will trigger a notification. For example: ‘Chris’. You can also turn off notifications for @channel, @all and @here.
Managing Messages
Mattermost can become overwhelming, especially if you are in many channels. If you’re finding the platform overwhelming, then we’d encourage you to consider the following:
- Do you need to be all the channels you’re currently in? If not you can leave a channel.
- If you need to be in a channel but only need to be notified of important posts. Then you can mute the channel. Muted channels will only notify you if someone specifically mentions you or the entire channel. Notification preferences can also be adjusted at the channel level.
Favourite Channels
Over time you may find yourself in many channels. By favourite-ing a channel it will move to your favourites list at the top of the channels menu making it easier to find.
Archiving Channels
Over time some channels will become inactive. It’s recommended that inactive channels are archived in order to make Mattermost more traversable. Messages in archived channels cannot be accessed. It’s recommended that you notify users of your intention several days before archiving a channel.