7 ms·

Open Source Messenger App for Android – Real-Time Messaging, Voice and Video

76 points by yumoji 8y ago

pritambarhate 8y ago
As of now the backend code repository is empty. Let's wait for a few days and see where this goes.
supergilbert 8y ago
Never heard of Mesibo but I've been waiting for a solution like this for a long time. My dream of creating a new kind of messenger just got a little closer.
in_my_pants 8y ago
Made by the guys behind tringme? https://github.com/mesibo/tringme.github.io https://github.com/mesibo/tringme.github.io
gyaniv 8y ago
In what way is this better then other similar apps, such as Signal, which is already an open source messaging app?
- tuukkah 8y ago
  Yes, or using this: TDLib – Build Your Own Telegram https://telegram.org/blog/tdlib https://telegram.org/blog/tdlib
  - yumoji 8y ago
    https://yalantis.com/blog/whats-wrong-telegram-open-api/ https://yalantis.com/blog/whats-wrong-telegram-open-api/
    - speeq 8y ago
      Are we able to run our own servers with your lib?
      - yumoji 8y ago
        Good question, refer to on-premise deployment section @https://mesibo.com https://mesibo.com,
    - tuukkah 8y ago
      I don't think that post is accurate, perhaps because (based on the RSS feed) it is from 2015. > Telegram’s source code is not an SDK or a library. [--] But to be fair, the messaging app doesn’t state they have an SDK. All they did is put their source code in the open. TDLib is that SDK.
- fao_ 8y ago
  I have been regular, everyday user of Signal for over four years. Myself and my friends use it as our primary communication method. In the last two or so years, it has been what I can only describe as "complete and utter shite". When I send an image to a friend, it can take hours to send a half-megabyte image despite my internet connection being fine. When this happens, none of the consequent messages send. If I close my phone, messages stop sending. So I must violate my privacy by keeping my phone open for sometimes, hours at a time, just to send a stupid little image. Despite the fact that sending an image will cause consequent messages to be delayed by hours, messages have started, in the last 6 to 12 months, to be sent out of order. This can be disasterous, as a fair number of my friends have depression and other problems, which means (as an example) my "haha" responses can sometimes be seen to be responding to /other/ messages (And yes, I can use the quote function, but sometimes that interrupts the flow of messaging). This, plus stupid little problems like, backups not being tested to be forward-compatible (something that is ridiculously easy to test, but that they could not be bothered to do), mean that relying on signal is a fool's game at this point.
  - omnimus 8y ago
    I havent had these issues. Actually i started to use desktop app with groups for light colaboration - sending audio notes, pdfs and images. I am thinking if this is happening could google be throttling signal somehow? That is the thing i have always worried about.
    - solarkraft 8y ago
      > google be throttling signal somehow What does Google have to do with it?
      - omnimus 8y ago
        As far as i know signal uses play services for transport.
  - peperunas 8y ago
    I totally agree. Signal's UX is awful (regular user here).
V-2 8y ago
Not a single test in the repository makes me a bit suspicious, quality-wise. The code is quite messy in general.
- fao_ 8y ago
  Have you seen Signal-Android's codebase.
  - V-2 8y ago
    I'm still unable to unsee https://github.com/DrKLO/Telegram/blob/master/TMessagesProj/src/main/java/org/telegram/ui/ChatActivity.java https://github.com/DrKLO/Telegram/blob/master/TMessagesProj/... :)
    - pandemic_region 8y ago
      What The Fuck ?
- yumoji 8y ago
  Hope to improve it with your help. Pls fork and contribute.
  - V-2 8y ago
    Some of it could be cleaned up fairly easily - like the use of Yoda conditions and other anti-patterns, numerous spelling mistakes, dead (commented out) code, redundant casts, unused variables etc. But the major problem is no separation of concerns (business logic is tightly coupled with UI logic and Android framework dependencies), which makes writing any automated tests for the thing next to impossible right now. Resolving this issue would require major refactoring.
gdubya 8y ago
"getting started is as simple as downloading SDK and copy-pasting sample code".... uhhhh yeah, I'm sure that will go well.
- ethelward 8y ago
  Getting started to modify the software; {app,play}store links are given.
martin_a 8y ago
Please no. Not another messenger nobody will use. We need to improve the existing, safe solutions like Signal instead of pushing new ones out there.
- yjftsjthsd-h 8y ago
  Signal intentionally breaks interoperability and disallows forks and alternative implementations. Let's not standardize on something that backs us into a corner.
  - omnimus 8y ago
    So general public will always use fb messanger / whatsup forever. Awesome. Signal is only atleast somehow secure app that regular people use because it has great unified ux and just works. Just use Signal. Please
    - emptysongglass 8y ago
      I refuse to use a messenger that is spearheaded by a man who adamantly refuses to participate in the wider FOSS community. Moxie only wants others to play by his rules.
    - m-p-3 8y ago
      I might use it once it allows federated access, otherwise only WhisperSystem can control the fate of the protocol. I mean there are much worse company out there, but I don't want to put my eggs in the same proverbial basket.
    - mixedCase 8y ago
      Yeah no way. WhatsApp already does e2e. Signal doesn't bring anything else that's significant for me as a techie, much less the general population. Matrix can replace Slack and the various mobile messengers, meaning there's a hook for companies as well. I don't think it's ready yet, but I'd rather be a condescending preachy asshole to my friends and family only when there's a very compelling reason.
stevebit 8y ago
It works, I honestly didn't expect it to be so easy. It complied without any errors and running. However it is not WhatsApp yet at least the UI is not as good as WhatsApp but a great start and one of the best open source implemention.
sarahjohn 8y ago
where to find code for ios?
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
hackstuff 8y ago
good read https://mesibo.com/documentation/get-started/ https://mesibo.com/documentation/get-started/
exabrial 8y ago
Native Desktop apps would be a nice addition and you have something that could take on the Facetime/iMessage ecosystem.
upofadown 8y ago
There is no point talking about an app that implements a messaging protocol without talking about how that protocol compares to existing standard messaging protocols. I couldn't even find a comparison to XMPP.

76 points by yumoji 8y ago

As of now the backend code repository is empty. Let's wait for a few days and see where this goes.

Never heard of Mesibo but I've been waiting for a solution like this for a long time. My dream of creating a new kind of messenger just got a little closer.

in_my_pants 8y ago

Made by the guys behind tringme? https://github.com/mesibo/tringme.github.io https://github.com/mesibo/tringme.github.io

gyaniv 8y ago

In what way is this better then other similar apps, such as Signal, which is already an open source messaging app?

tuukkah 8y ago
Yes, or using this: TDLib – Build Your Own Telegram https://telegram.org/blog/tdlib https://telegram.org/blog/tdlib
- yumoji 8y ago
  https://yalantis.com/blog/whats-wrong-telegram-open-api/ https://yalantis.com/blog/whats-wrong-telegram-open-api/
  - speeq 8y ago
    Are we able to run our own servers with your lib?
    - yumoji 8y ago
      Good question, refer to on-premise deployment section @https://mesibo.com https://mesibo.com,
  - tuukkah 8y ago
    I don't think that post is accurate, perhaps because (based on the RSS feed) it is from 2015. > Telegram’s source code is not an SDK or a library. [--] But to be fair, the messaging app doesn’t state they have an SDK. All they did is put their source code in the open. TDLib is that SDK.
fao_ 8y ago
I have been regular, everyday user of Signal for over four years. Myself and my friends use it as our primary communication method. In the last two or so years, it has been what I can only describe as "complete and utter shite". When I send an image to a friend, it can take hours to send a half-megabyte image despite my internet connection being fine. When this happens, none of the consequent messages send. If I close my phone, messages stop sending. So I must violate my privacy by keeping my phone open for sometimes, hours at a time, just to send a stupid little image. Despite the fact that sending an image will cause consequent messages to be delayed by hours, messages have started, in the last 6 to 12 months, to be sent out of order. This can be disasterous, as a fair number of my friends have depression and other problems, which means (as an example) my "haha" responses can sometimes be seen to be responding to /other/ messages (And yes, I can use the quote function, but sometimes that interrupts the flow of messaging). This, plus stupid little problems like, backups not being tested to be forward-compatible (something that is ridiculously easy to test, but that they could not be bothered to do), mean that relying on signal is a fool's game at this point.
- omnimus 8y ago
  I havent had these issues. Actually i started to use desktop app with groups for light colaboration - sending audio notes, pdfs and images. I am thinking if this is happening could google be throttling signal somehow? That is the thing i have always worried about.
  - solarkraft 8y ago
    > google be throttling signal somehow What does Google have to do with it?
    - omnimus 8y ago
      As far as i know signal uses play services for transport.
- peperunas 8y ago
  I totally agree. Signal's UX is awful (regular user here).

V-2 8y ago

Not a single test in the repository makes me a bit suspicious, quality-wise. The code is quite messy in general.

fao_ 8y ago
Have you seen Signal-Android's codebase.
- V-2 8y ago
  I'm still unable to unsee https://github.com/DrKLO/Telegram/blob/master/TMessagesProj/src/main/java/org/telegram/ui/ChatActivity.java https://github.com/DrKLO/Telegram/blob/master/TMessagesProj/... :)
  - pandemic_region 8y ago
    What The Fuck ?
yumoji 8y ago
Hope to improve it with your help. Pls fork and contribute.
- V-2 8y ago
  Some of it could be cleaned up fairly easily - like the use of Yoda conditions and other anti-patterns, numerous spelling mistakes, dead (commented out) code, redundant casts, unused variables etc. But the major problem is no separation of concerns (business logic is tightly coupled with UI logic and Android framework dependencies), which makes writing any automated tests for the thing next to impossible right now. Resolving this issue would require major refactoring.

gdubya 8y ago

"getting started is as simple as downloading SDK and copy-pasting sample code".... uhhhh yeah, I'm sure that will go well.

ethelward 8y ago
Getting started to modify the software; {app,play}store links are given.

martin_a 8y ago

Please no. Not another messenger nobody will use. We need to improve the existing, safe solutions like Signal instead of pushing new ones out there.

yjftsjthsd-h 8y ago
Signal intentionally breaks interoperability and disallows forks and alternative implementations. Let's not standardize on something that backs us into a corner.
- omnimus 8y ago
  So general public will always use fb messanger / whatsup forever. Awesome. Signal is only atleast somehow secure app that regular people use because it has great unified ux and just works. Just use Signal. Please
  - emptysongglass 8y ago
    I refuse to use a messenger that is spearheaded by a man who adamantly refuses to participate in the wider FOSS community. Moxie only wants others to play by his rules.
  - m-p-3 8y ago
    I might use it once it allows federated access, otherwise only WhisperSystem can control the fate of the protocol. I mean there are much worse company out there, but I don't want to put my eggs in the same proverbial basket.
  - mixedCase 8y ago
    Yeah no way. WhatsApp already does e2e. Signal doesn't bring anything else that's significant for me as a techie, much less the general population. Matrix can replace Slack and the various mobile messengers, meaning there's a hook for companies as well. I don't think it's ready yet, but I'd rather be a condescending preachy asshole to my friends and family only when there's a very compelling reason.

stevebit 8y ago

It works, I honestly didn't expect it to be so easy. It complied without any errors and running. However it is not WhatsApp yet at least the UI is not as good as WhatsApp but a great start and one of the best open source implemention.

sarahjohn 8y ago

where to find code for ios?

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

hackstuff 8y ago

good read https://mesibo.com/documentation/get-started/ https://mesibo.com/documentation/get-started/

exabrial 8y ago

Native Desktop apps would be a nice addition and you have something that could take on the Facetime/iMessage ecosystem.

upofadown 8y ago

There is no point talking about an app that implements a messaging protocol without talking about how that protocol compares to existing standard messaging protocols. I couldn't even find a comparison to XMPP.