"You can't see earlier messages." appears in situations where room history is likely to be readable soon

[anoadragon453]

Your use case

What would you like to do?

When being invited to an encrypted room by a client that has implemented support for matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals#3061 (such as Element Web), one should expect to receive history for that room if room's history settings allow for it.

Today, it takes some time (a couple minutes in most cases) for the message keys to arrive. element-hq/element-web#23778 will make this situation better, but while the user is waiting they will see the following message:

Users see this and assume they will never receive the encrypted messages, and are surprised when the messages do eventually pop in (element-hq/element-web#23093) with no warning or notification.

I propose that Element shows a different message to the user if:

1. the room history is configured such that room history should be shared, and
2. the user was invited to the room (this can be dropped when MSCs such as MSC3917: Cryptographically Constrained Room Membership matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals#3917 allow for other devices in the room to trust the newly added one(s)).

Element could say something along the lines of: "Waiting for earlier messages" with the subtitle "Older messages in this room are encrypted, and may take some time to appear."

Why would you like to do it?

The current UX does not prompt users to check the room again later to see if message history has been fetched.

Have you considered any alternatives?

No response

Additional context

Only some clients implement MSC3061 today. In cases that an inviting client does not, then message history will never be decrypted.

It's important to communicate to the user that while we are waiting for message history to be decrypted, it's possible that it never will be. Arguably message history for encrypted rooms should always be shared in the future as clients and the spec develops.

[t3chguy]

Duplicate of element-hq/element-web#22999

[anoadragon453]

@t3chguy I took a look at that issue before making this one and I'm not convinced they're the same. element-hq/element-web#22999 seems to be talking about (or at least the discussion has evolved into) the case where a bug causes the room history to never appear.

This issue is specifically calling for wording to be updated.

[t3chguy]

The wording being updated would be misleading, there is no way to know if those messages will ever become decryptable. I suggest opening an element-meta issue if you wish for the messaging around unencryptable messages around invites to be changed across all platforms

[anoadragon453]

there is no way to know if those messages will ever become decryptable.

Indeed, hence the last paragraph:

It's important to communicate to the user that while we are waiting for message history to be decrypted, it's possible that it never will be. Arguably message history for encrypted rooms should always be shared in the future as clients and the spec develops.

I'll move this to element-meta though; good shout.

[t3chguy]

@anoadragon453 have transferred

Context for product - this is an issue in all platforms, the messaging varies slightly but fundamentally means the same thing

[anoadragon453]

Oh, er, I already made a new copy at #839. Will close that one.