6 ms·

Desktop support comes to Signal for iPhone

56 points by sinak 10y ago

natdempk 10y ago
Seems like its failing to import contacts and groups from my phone? Anyone else having this problem? I can provide debug logs if that would be helpful.
- zmanian 10y ago
  I know a number of people how have had success with syncing but you may want to post your logs in Github or thumbs up if you are dup of https://github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-Desktop/issues/909 https://github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-Desktop/issues/909
  - natdempk 10y ago
    I've updated that issue with my debug logs, thanks!
zmanian 10y ago
"Use Signal. Use Tor."
- subliminalpanda 10y ago
  Makes me wonder why they don't embed Tor into signal as an alternative (or fallback) way of connecting to the network. It could be very useful in countries that routinely censor the web (including apps like signal).
  - zmanian 10y ago
    I can't think of anywhere that blocks Signal but doesn't block Tor. I think the OWS developers would probably be more interested in a system that can conceal metadata from the Signal server rather than pure network surveillance.
FiloSottile 10y ago
As happy as I am that more people will use Signal thanks to the desktop integration, I am pretty sure I won't use it myself. I consider Signal the only "secure" public way to communicate with me, and it's because it's restricted to a native app running on an unjailbroken updated iOS device, which puts the cost of exploitation in the 1M$ band. Pairing it with a laptop, in a browser context, kind of defeats that use case. And WhatsApp is a valid alternative for convenience.
- nathancahill 10y ago
  At least on the last go-round, the jailbreakers had the security patch before Apple released an update. Not disagreeing with you, just think it's an interesting distinction that you make.
- snthd 10y ago
  >it's restricted to a native app running on an unjailbroken updated iOS device But it's been on android longer than it's been on iOS?
  - brbsix 10y ago
    He was discussing endpoint security so I believe he intended to say his own personal use is restricted to an iOS device.
- zmanian 10y ago
  Yeah endpoint security is generally worse on all desktop operating systems than iOS and Signal isn't intended to solve that problem. One could run Signal Desktop on their Chromebook for a similar level of endpoint security to iOS.
tdkl 10y ago
>Desktop support Chrome Web Browser support.
tshtf 10y ago
mtgx mentioned this on the earlier thread, and I'm curious to know too (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12585597 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12585597): Have they said what are their long-term plans for the desktop app, now that Google has started deprecating Chrome apps? https://blog.chromium.org/2016/08/from-chrome-apps-to-web.html https://blog.chromium.org/2016/08/from-chrome-apps-to-web.ht...
- mi100hael 10y ago
  Fingers crossed they go with a saner native option like QT rather than a slow, crappy, wrapped web app.
  - fredsir 10y ago
    Or platform specific versions using native tooling, sharing only what can be shared under the hood, and ending up with great apps? Yeah, what am I thinking? I know that will probably will never happen, but it would be awesome if it did...
- Spakman 10y ago
  I haven't seen anyone from Open Whisper Systems speak out about this. One of the things they like best about the current/deprecated Chrome app is the distribution and update model. I'm not sure how much that will affect their decisions about what direction to take.
bpchaps 10y ago
Crypto community question - why is everybody so adamant about using Signal? Outside of work, I don't own a smart phone and refuse to, so signal is not an option. It's to the point where it's actually gotten in the way with getting in contact with at least three people I know.
- crooked-v 10y ago
  > why is everybody so adamant about using Signal? Because it's convenient, secure, open-source, and well-designed. > Outside of work, I don't own a smart phone and refuse to That makes you, in the eyes of most people, a weird outlier.
  - nawtacawp 10y ago
    Not so weird. I also have a smart phone for work -- so i don't have a personal one.
    - bpchaps 10y ago
      Parent poster is probably talking about the fact that I willfully use a dumb phone. Though, I'm honestly not sure how a perception of being 'weird' is really relevant.
  - bpchaps 10y ago
    I dunno, it just feels that the crypto community is shooting itself in the foot by largely catering to those with smart phones. A huge chunk of population, (poor, elderly, etc) are in a similar boat as I am and it doesn't make much sense. Many of the civics/activist/crypto folk seem to only want to make flashy toys to prove their worth rather than tackling problems in solid ways :\.
    - snthd 10y ago
      What do you propose instead? Software for dumb phones? Meshes using SDR devices?
mei0Iesh 10y ago
That doesn't seem as good as Wire. Why should I bother with Signal? https://wire.com/ https://wire.com/
- 58028641 10y ago
  Signal has been reviewed by more people. Snowden recommends it.
- mi100hael 10y ago
  I think the better question is why should I bother with Wire? It's all of 3 months old, (and iOS is already on 2.0? Really?) Signal has been around for a few years now and uses a well-respected ratcheting encryption library similar to OTR. It's been well-audited and widely-adopted. It's already the de facto standard for FOSS E2E mobile messaging.
  - tdkl 10y ago
    Wire has launched in 2014 with emphasis on encrypted calls, it was only recently open sourced. It also ticks many boxes, only it's not decentralised and the server ain't open source (yet).
    - tagrun 10y ago
      Signal/TextSecure was released in 2014. Can you be specific about the "many boxes" you're referring to? The most relevant to the grandparent being: has it ever been audited?
  - mei0Iesh 10y ago
    They seem more friendly and open than the Signal guys. They're using similar encryption, go check out their GitHub for more info. It doesn't require a phone number and has multi-device encryption with desktop support. It has audio, video, pictures, sketching, likes, editing, deleting, groups, and more. Signal feels like a joke in comparison. Try it.
  - oakwhiz 10y ago
pxeboot 10y ago
What is the endgame for Signal? Now that its protocol has been implemented by several popular apps, will Signal continue to be developed?

56 points by sinak 10y ago

Seems like its failing to import contacts and groups from my phone? Anyone else having this problem? I can provide debug logs if that would be helpful.

zmanian 10y ago
I know a number of people how have had success with syncing but you may want to post your logs in Github or thumbs up if you are dup of https://github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-Desktop/issues/909 https://github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-Desktop/issues/909
- natdempk 10y ago
  I've updated that issue with my debug logs, thanks!

zmanian 10y ago

"Use Signal. Use Tor."

subliminalpanda 10y ago
Makes me wonder why they don't embed Tor into signal as an alternative (or fallback) way of connecting to the network. It could be very useful in countries that routinely censor the web (including apps like signal).
- zmanian 10y ago
  I can't think of anywhere that blocks Signal but doesn't block Tor. I think the OWS developers would probably be more interested in a system that can conceal metadata from the Signal server rather than pure network surveillance.

FiloSottile 10y ago

As happy as I am that more people will use Signal thanks to the desktop integration, I am pretty sure I won't use it myself. I consider Signal the only "secure" public way to communicate with me, and it's because it's restricted to a native app running on an unjailbroken updated iOS device, which puts the cost of exploitation in the 1M$ band. Pairing it with a laptop, in a browser context, kind of defeats that use case. And WhatsApp is a valid alternative for convenience.

nathancahill 10y ago
At least on the last go-round, the jailbreakers had the security patch before Apple released an update. Not disagreeing with you, just think it's an interesting distinction that you make.
snthd 10y ago
>it's restricted to a native app running on an unjailbroken updated iOS device But it's been on android longer than it's been on iOS?
- brbsix 10y ago
  He was discussing endpoint security so I believe he intended to say his own personal use is restricted to an iOS device.
zmanian 10y ago
Yeah endpoint security is generally worse on all desktop operating systems than iOS and Signal isn't intended to solve that problem. One could run Signal Desktop on their Chromebook for a similar level of endpoint security to iOS.

tdkl 10y ago

>Desktop support Chrome Web Browser support.

tshtf 10y ago

mtgx mentioned this on the earlier thread, and I'm curious to know too (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12585597 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12585597): Have they said what are their long-term plans for the desktop app, now that Google has started deprecating Chrome apps? https://blog.chromium.org/2016/08/from-chrome-apps-to-web.html https://blog.chromium.org/2016/08/from-chrome-apps-to-web.ht...

mi100hael 10y ago
Fingers crossed they go with a saner native option like QT rather than a slow, crappy, wrapped web app.
- fredsir 10y ago
  Or platform specific versions using native tooling, sharing only what can be shared under the hood, and ending up with great apps? Yeah, what am I thinking? I know that will probably will never happen, but it would be awesome if it did...
Spakman 10y ago
I haven't seen anyone from Open Whisper Systems speak out about this. One of the things they like best about the current/deprecated Chrome app is the distribution and update model. I'm not sure how much that will affect their decisions about what direction to take.

bpchaps 10y ago

Crypto community question - why is everybody so adamant about using Signal? Outside of work, I don't own a smart phone and refuse to, so signal is not an option. It's to the point where it's actually gotten in the way with getting in contact with at least three people I know.

crooked-v 10y ago
> why is everybody so adamant about using Signal? Because it's convenient, secure, open-source, and well-designed. > Outside of work, I don't own a smart phone and refuse to That makes you, in the eyes of most people, a weird outlier.
- nawtacawp 10y ago
  Not so weird. I also have a smart phone for work -- so i don't have a personal one.
  - bpchaps 10y ago
    Parent poster is probably talking about the fact that I willfully use a dumb phone. Though, I'm honestly not sure how a perception of being 'weird' is really relevant.
- bpchaps 10y ago
  I dunno, it just feels that the crypto community is shooting itself in the foot by largely catering to those with smart phones. A huge chunk of population, (poor, elderly, etc) are in a similar boat as I am and it doesn't make much sense. Many of the civics/activist/crypto folk seem to only want to make flashy toys to prove their worth rather than tackling problems in solid ways :\.
  - snthd 10y ago
    What do you propose instead? Software for dumb phones? Meshes using SDR devices?

mei0Iesh 10y ago

That doesn't seem as good as Wire. Why should I bother with Signal? https://wire.com/ https://wire.com/

58028641 10y ago
Signal has been reviewed by more people. Snowden recommends it.
mi100hael 10y ago
I think the better question is why should I bother with Wire? It's all of 3 months old, (and iOS is already on 2.0? Really?) Signal has been around for a few years now and uses a well-respected ratcheting encryption library similar to OTR. It's been well-audited and widely-adopted. It's already the de facto standard for FOSS E2E mobile messaging.
- tdkl 10y ago
  Wire has launched in 2014 with emphasis on encrypted calls, it was only recently open sourced. It also ticks many boxes, only it's not decentralised and the server ain't open source (yet).
  - tagrun 10y ago
    Signal/TextSecure was released in 2014. Can you be specific about the "many boxes" you're referring to? The most relevant to the grandparent being: has it ever been audited?
- mei0Iesh 10y ago
  They seem more friendly and open than the Signal guys. They're using similar encryption, go check out their GitHub for more info. It doesn't require a phone number and has multi-device encryption with desktop support. It has audio, video, pictures, sketching, likes, editing, deleting, groups, and more. Signal feels like a joke in comparison. Try it.
- oakwhiz 10y ago

pxeboot 10y ago

What is the endgame for Signal? Now that its protocol has been implemented by several popular apps, will Signal continue to be developed?