Matrix is probably the closest to Discord overall. If Element is bugging out on you, it might be worth trying other clients. Nheko worked well when I tried it, for example. Do note that the matrix.org homeserver is sometimes overloaded, so if you’re having responsiveness issues, choosing or running a different homeserver will probably clear them right up.

Mumble.info is great for voice. If your text chat needs are pretty basic, it might be a good fit. I don’t think it saves message history.

XMPP is a protocol, not an app. If you you saw an interface you didn’t like, you could always just use a different client. I don’t usually recommend it, since setting it up with all the features people usually expect is a bit complicated and error-prone, but it would probably be fine among a small group of friends if one of them has tech skills. I don’t think it offers voice, at least not in any widely-supported way.

I read his message. He didn’t seem grumpy or frustrated to me; just encouraging folks to use a certain style that’s already in wide use, for reduced noise and better consistency.

Also f*ck Fahrenheit, we have Celsius and Kalvin for that,

Who is Kalvin? Did you mean kelvin?

One drawback of celsius/centigrade is that its degrees are so coarse that weather reports / ambient temperature readings end up either inaccurate or complicated by floating point numbers. I’m on board with using it, but I won’t pretend it’s strictly superior.