Let’s analyze where things really get stored with different protocols and tools.
Signal:
Amazon
Session:
Decentralized database w/ pay in crypto
XMPP:
Self-hosted federated
the word “federated” means cross-communication of servers like email
Matrix:
federated (in theory)
SimpleX:
two federated self-hosted servers,
they pick your send, you pick your receive
Briar:
No servers, peer-to-peer
They gotta be online
Nostr:
poster picks distributed relays
Ethereum push.org notifications
federated then fetched by wallet
(this is NOT on blockchain, it’s like nostr but only 1 relay)
IPFS
Torrent CDN getting it from a federated pinner (host)
IPFS is really a CDN
CDN means content delivey network, or servers all over distributing faster
Akash & Flux
You’re renting servers from their network for your software
The blockchain just keeps track of who owes you service