echoplexus
Mar 2013 – Mar 2016
echoplexus running as a Firefox App on Ubuntu, back when Firefox had apps
The goods
What is it?
Echoplexus was an anonymous, web-based, IRC-like chatting platform that made its best effort to respect your privacy. Here’s a list of some of the features:
- create and manage public or private channels
- encrypt your chats with a shared secret or PGP
- secure a pseudonym for linkable anonymity
- code (JS) and draw together in real time
- make free and secure Peer2Peer video and voice calls with the people in your channel using WebRTC
The name comes from the song “Echoplex” by Nine Inch Nails. I happened to be listening to it while I was developing it at one point, and the lyrics, “My voice just echoes off these walls” felt really apt while I was chatting with myself.
Current status
echoplex.us is dead. Now, a spammer owns the domain :/
The userbase / interest just wasn’t there for it to be worthwhile for me to continue working on it. Due to the multi-player nature of the beast, I can’t enjoy the project alone. One day, I’d like to revisit the concept with a better initial design plan; the ad hoc nature of feature development meant things were getting complex and more difficult to maintain.
echoplexus used to be a lot darker! It got a revamp in 2014 for greater appeal.