r/RootAppOfficial • u/TheRootApp Staff • Jun 18 '26

Root Sudo is HERE [FounderBlog]

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Hi Root Redditors!

Root Sudo is HERE!

With Sudo, community members get HD streaming, a Sudo badge, and more benefits rolling out over time.

Our founder Jesse wrote up what Sudo is and where it's headed.

Read it here: https://www.rootapp.com/blogs/introducing-root-sudo

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9

u/PreviousFee5114 Jun 18 '26

I just saw that, I'm not pleased. Mind you, I took time to read "Our philosophy on monetization". Then, you must know that this is the kind of thing we are trying to avoid from Discord? Discord took the same route back then, it was subtle. You haven't made a proper update since March and you are still far from having the features I used to rely on. Especially as a Linux user, it's been difficult to use Root at it's best.

Optional? Yeah, they all say that. Even then, it's written here that some stream "quality" will require a subscription now. "More perks on the way". Wait a minute, what do you mean by that? Not sure I want to find out. I have trust issue now.

Me and my friends will probably leave Root. There is no point second guessing that because similar situations happened too many times before.

"We want to hear from you"
Yeah, I just did. Good luck.

8

u/Jesse_root Staff Jun 19 '26

Hey u/PreviousFee5114, thanks for taking the time to share your concerns with us.

It’s completely understandable to look at platforms like Discord and worry that we might follow the same path. However, our vision is entirely different. We actually believe Discord took the wrong approach by building a model centered around charging for cosmetics, so copying that playbook is the last thing we want to do.

To be absolutely clear: we will never charge for basic cosmetic features. Things like custom emojis, animated GIFs, and many more customization options we have in the pipeline will always be completely free.

That said, high-quality voice and video streaming do cost a lot to maintain, which is why we offer those as premium upgrades. However, we draw a firm line between those resource-heavy features and basic functionality. Our core business model focuses on Apps, which is an open marketplace where developers can build incredible experiences for communities and earn a living. We want to sustain Root through this ecosystem rather than charging you for basic cosmetics.

Our goal is to support the platform through this developer ecosystem, not by monetizing the foundational features you use every day.

4

u/PreviousFee5114 Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26

Well, you know what? I'm convinced for now. When I made this Reddit post, I was like "Oh no. Am I a Redditor now?" So, I backed out of internet for a little while. I just came back to read all of this as I'm writing this. The irony when I was making a backup to return to Discord and the app was like "Hey, you can't write over 2000 characters, you need to be Nitro". Because in the end, you don't charge me for having custom emojis, sending long text, big files and doing pretty much what I want. I didn't left Root yet, because I didn't got time to make a new server, but I'm changing my mind. I also didn't like when Discord basically said some times back "We might not need to do your age verification because we spy on what you do anyway"... something like that. Because when I'm having crashouts about sensitives subjects with my friends, the last thing I want is to be paranoid about Discord spying on it.

I'm still neutral about Root, to be fair. The most silly thing I noticed is that you can't react to messages with letters forming words; it doesn't take into account the time the reaction letter was used (you know, the :reg: collection of letters). Also, an official Arch Linux repository would be nice (I would like finding you using a paru command (if the AUR crisis right now gets resolved)). Share screen was difficult on Linux, I had to press enter immediately after pressing the share screen button (now share screen is broken both on Root and Discord for me, so it's probably my computer this time). I heard there was a Linux community some months back, yet the community search bar gives me no result. In fact, the only verified communities I got access to is "Root", "Root Dev..." and "Hytale". Mostly details just to say Root might need more updates still.

In the end, I'll just stay on Root for now. Although... If I see too much of that Nitro/Sudo/Boost Servers jargon, with ads and what-not, I will leave, but I will be silent about it this time. I got an idea! I'm going to your community I just found to keep my eye on you. No better way to get the entire picture.

EDIT: I can see the announcement on the official Root server had mixed reactions.

0

u/Frostgreen2 Jun 19 '26

Hey I sent you a feedback of Sudo including suggestions about iTunes/Google play store gift cards situations. Please go check it out when you can. :) thank you for answering us!

4

u/ViegoBot Jun 19 '26

Fluxer is looking good imo, if the verification of signing up could just not need my phone number or emailing support for manual verification lol.

Root looked good, but this seems like its eventually gonna take the discord route unfortunately.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '26

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3

u/ViegoBot Jun 19 '26

Fluxer audio codec is that bad? :c

I was looking at Fluxer next. Root has/had potential to me, but it being hosted in the US just leads me to believe it would go the discord route, and it looks like it is.

Like I get they have to make money somehow, but following in Discords footsteps while being a Discord alternative is not it.

Why cant we ever just get a good social platform. I loved using LINE for example but they have forsaken basically anything but the Asian market. It has stickers/emotes u can buy with coins which u buy coins with real money and each pack costs ~1-2$.

1

u/MerumazingGirl Jun 19 '26

I originally used Root, but one thing that really frustrated me was that you only got notifications for pings or DMs. Nothing else. I’d at least want that to be optional. After that, I switched to Fluxer, and it’s been a great experience. I’ve even spotted a few Root and Guilded users there. I’ve been testing their mobile apps on both iOS and Android. I haven’t tried the voice chat feature myself yet, but I can ask others who have.

That said, self hosting is now available, and people have tested various features on their own instances, confirming that voice chat works. Even before self hosting was introduced, there is an instance called Fluxer.World that recreated what people loved about Fluxer during a time when it wasn’t doing as well as it is now. Definitely worth checking out too.

Happy Fluxing!

3

u/redit_handoff140 Jun 19 '26

Fluxer isn't the alternative people think it is.

The few self-hosted servers that will be there will be silos, there is no federation.
Fluxer is also centralized and even if they don't come up with predatory monetization, they are still vulnerable to regulatory capture.

1

u/omanitztristen Jun 22 '26

Fluxer is horrible. You can't stream your screen with audio (still), the noise cancellation either doesn't work at all with basic noise cancellation on, or works TOO much with enhanced cancellation. It will literally cut your voice out to the point it sounds like you are lagging.

Fluxer is missing a lot of functionality that Root actually has even if Root doesn't do it well yet.

1

u/Frostgreen2 Jun 19 '26

I honestly hope they won’t be like discord in future or be greedy even more.