⚠️ [MM-57781] Limit group calls to DMs only on unlicensed servers

[streamer45]

Summary

PR implements limits to restrict calls to DMs only in unlicensed servers. This means no functional changes for either Professional or Enterprise installations.

Note
This is a breaking change which is planned to be merged to make into v1 (MM v10 Sept release)

@cpoile Originally I wanted to make this fully backward compatible with older mobile clients by overriding the Enabled field in the channel response, which ultimately controls whether we show the join/start button, but looking at the mobile side, I don't think that's possible since it mostly relies on the handleGetAllCallChannelStates API handler which only returns explicitly set channels. Let me know if you have any ideas.

Spec

https://mattermost.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Calls/pages/2780495913/Calls+Limits#Limits-based-on-license

Related PRs

mattermost/calls-common#36

Ticket Link

https://mattermost.atlassian.net/browse/MM-57781

[cpoile]

Originally I wanted to make this fully backward compatible with older mobile clients by overriding the Enabled field in the channel response, which ultimately controls whether we show the join/start button, but looking at the mobile side, I don't think that's possible since it mostly relies on the handleGetAllCallChannelStates API handler which only returns explicitly set channels. Let me know if you have any ideas.

Right... We wanted to have a single call for channel states, and not a call for every switch (bc mobile), so we only take into account "explicitly enabled" and "explicitly disabled", and only on connect/reconnect...

I guess the backwards incompatibility aspect is that we'll get an error when trying to start a call, pre mobile PR, right? That seems acceptable (not that we have a choice, but it's not horrible). Considering that we explicitly chose to have the Start Call button always visible on mobile, even when calls was globally disabled (which is probably worse than this UX, tbh).

[streamer45]

Right... We wanted to have a single call for channel states, and not a call for every switch (bc mobile), so we only take into account "explicitly enabled" and "explicitly disabled", and only on connect/reconnect...

I guess the backwards incompatibility aspect is that we'll get an error when trying to start a call, pre mobile PR, right? That seems acceptable (not that we have a choice, but it's not horrible). Considering that we explicitly chose to have the Start Call button always visible on mobile, even when calls was globally disabled (which is probably worse than this UX, tbh).

@cpoile Yep, it will error out after the usual timeout, but I don't think it's avoidable. I am actually sending a ws error in this PR but it doesn't look like the mobile client is picking that up to fail fast.

I decided to implement a simple ephemeral message to cover this case (unsupported client) which makes this marginally easier on the user. It will still fail to connect but at least they get a reason. Let me know what you think.

[streamer45]

@DHaussermann We'd like to check the following:

• Enterprise or Professional: no changes.
• Everything else: calls available in DMs only. The channel header button to start/join the call should be hidden in any other channel type. Slash commands should also fail with an error.

[streamer45]

@DHaussermann Let me know if you need help with the above.

[DHaussermann]

Hi @streamer45,

1. I need help testing this. I have this Calls build deployed locally and the mobile build on my device from the corresponding PR. However, I do not see the change where calls cannot be started or joined in outside DMs when there is no license. 0/5 maybe there is also a check for the server version being 10.0.0 or greater that I am missing? If so, not sure how I can put this in place locally.

2. Is there another related PR somewhere for these restrictions on webapp? If I understand, the cope here seems to be only for mobile.

[streamer45]

@DHaussermann No version checks that I am aware of. Could you confirm the plugin build you are testing against is 8cb9c1f9e520754d56a382ff2bb1033d95561bf7? You can check from the /plugins/com.mattermost.calls/version endpoint.

[DHaussermann]

@streamer45
Yes, according to the end point I have the right build.

I also removed the plugin webapp node node dependencies and re-installed them as a precaution incase something odd was happening there but I still see the start functionality.

If it matters my local is running master branch for the server build. Maybe ping me if you have other suggestions here.

[DHaussermann]

Tested and passed

• Tested that Call are only available in DMs when restricted by license with v1.0.0.
• In this case Calls options in channel menu and slash command are not available in Public channels, Private Channels or GM channels
• Tested the following license cases with the new Calls build:
  • E0
  • Team Edition
  • Legacy E20 license
  • Cloud Enterprise
  • Cloud Professional
  • Self hosted Enterprise
• Tested the following clients
  • Webapp
  • Desktop App
  • Mobile Build for v2.20 on Android and iOS
  • Mobile Builds prior tov2.20 on Android and iOS
  • For all clients the Calls start slash command has also been restricted.
• In cases above, no restrictions observed when a license was in place and the new Calls build for v1.0.0 is running
• For Cases with E0 OR Team Eddition I can see the restrictions
• Ensured no change when running a an existing Calls build of 0.29.0

I notice that if all that you are changing is adding or removing the license, the webapp needs to be refreshed to reflect the change in functionality. However I feel this is minor because restarting the plugin also serves to bring the state of the webapp current and the plugin restart will happen during the Upgrade to Calls v1.0.0 so this only affects cases where the license file is modified after the upgrade without a server restart or a plugin restart and is easily solved by restarting the plugin.

LGTM! Thanks @streamer45.

[thereisnotime]

This is really crappy!

[ThiefMaster]

Yeah, REMOVING existing features and putting them behind a paywall after they've been available for evreyone feels rather evil...

[thereisnotime]

Yeah, REMOVING existing features and putting them behind a paywall after they've been available for evreyone feels rather evil...

This feels like Rocket chat all over again...

[the-black-wolf]

Wow, ok. Didn't know things are going so bad for you that you had to put a feature so ubiquitous in 2024, as a team voice call is, behind a paywall. Which is really weird, imho, you should be looking at adding video calls to self hosted servers, not removing stuff.
Yea, its free and I have no grounds to complain, fine. Thank you for the free product, honestly, and we do have a workaround for meetings. I am just worried about something else, is this the sign of times to come? Are you going down the Slack route and should we expect a 90 days message limit in the future? This does affect us operationally, please advise in time so that we do not read it in the main Mattermost changelog when people start complaining.

[streamer45]

@the-black-wolf I am sorry to hear this is impacting your team. I'd encourage you to reach us directly in-channel (e.g. https://community.mattermost.com/core/pl/xka6s5sfx7fopp61axw914rcbc) since this PR is likely going to be only seen by me and a few other developers who had not much to do with the product decision behind this.

[githubkoma]

oh no is this really happening or just a bad dream?
i hoped for Mattermost to get a Discord Alternative step by step, but okay, dreams and teams shattered

[codingPotato21]

This should be rolled back at once! Calls are a basic feature and enough features are being offered for the premium like call recording and even video calls can be added to that list. But normal voice calls with screen sharing are not something special. Calls in DM's are useless and surely have very rare use-cases.

Find other ways to make money without forcing people to pay. I would rather and will use the zoom plugin (Or any other third-party video plugin) and pay for a better priced API rather than being forced to pay to use this plugin!

[ThiefMaster]

Calls in DM's are useless and surely have very rare use-cases.

Not sure how true THAT is tbh. While I'm very much not a fan of paywalling calls outside DMs, the vast majority of calls on my pretty large instance is in DMs... YMMV though.

[chumbalum]

Very disappointing change. Any reason for this?

[roest01]

Bruhh ! This is a bad move. Mattermost is going evil.

[Judx]

What a bummer! This should be reverted ASAP❗

[zehDonut]

Even as a paying customer, putting core features behind a paywall is a reason to drop your product entirely.

[mz-aimcom]

Maybe this is working for some of you: #864 (comment)

services:
  mattermost:
    environment:
      # additional settings
      - MM_CALLS_GROUP_CALLS_ALLOWED=true