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That's exactly why Google Allo was a no go for me from the start. I'm using Telegram now, and their desktop client is great. Any mobile first solution is uninte

That's exactly why Google Allo was a no go for me from the start. I'm using Telegram now, and their desktop client is great. Any mobile first solution is uninteresting for me, and that includes hacks where messages are routed from my computer via my phone.

Craighead 7y ago
Yuck at VK integration
jahlove 7y ago
Google Hangouts is pretty great, so of course Google is discontinuing it. I always have email open anyway, so its very convenient to fire of a chat while I'm on desktop.
- sorenjan 7y ago
  I've used Hangouts since it was Google talk and used xmpp. I used several different multi protocol programs to connect to Google talk, Microsoft messenger, ICQ at the same time. Things where different back then. Now I try to get as many as possible to get away from at least Google and Facebook services.
interestica 7y ago
Encryption only available for mobile chats, right? And "secret" chats won't be available for the desktop view.
- metadaemon 7y ago
  This is unfortunately correct, but I still prefer Telegram to other chat clients.
- sorenjan 7y ago
  All chats are encrypted to and from the client, but only secret chats are encrypted end to end. And yes, secret chats are only available on mobile. https://telegram.org/faq#q-so-how-do-you-encrypt-data https://telegram.org/faq#q-so-how-do-you-encrypt-data
  - maqp 7y ago
    The point of encryption is to protect content from third parties. TLS-like encryption where messages can be read by server, is not protecting the content this way, therefore, calling it encryption is misleading. When average user asks "is it encrypted?", they're not asking "Oh I totally get that the developers can access the content but is it safe from passive eavesdropping in the network backend?", they're asking "Can anyone else read the messages?", i.e. "Are they E2EE?". To which the answer is no.
derefr 7y ago
I mean, given the Signal protocol, the alternative would be your messages being routed from your phone via your computer. And the average person's computer isn't on/awake/connected to wifi as often as their phone is, so that'd be a much spottier experience.

Craighead 7y ago

Yuck at VK integration

jahlove 7y ago

Google Hangouts is pretty great, so of course Google is discontinuing it. I always have email open anyway, so its very convenient to fire of a chat while I'm on desktop.

sorenjan 7y ago
I've used Hangouts since it was Google talk and used xmpp. I used several different multi protocol programs to connect to Google talk, Microsoft messenger, ICQ at the same time. Things where different back then. Now I try to get as many as possible to get away from at least Google and Facebook services.

interestica 7y ago

Encryption only available for mobile chats, right? And "secret" chats won't be available for the desktop view.

metadaemon 7y ago
This is unfortunately correct, but I still prefer Telegram to other chat clients.
sorenjan 7y ago
All chats are encrypted to and from the client, but only secret chats are encrypted end to end. And yes, secret chats are only available on mobile. https://telegram.org/faq#q-so-how-do-you-encrypt-data https://telegram.org/faq#q-so-how-do-you-encrypt-data
- maqp 7y ago
  The point of encryption is to protect content from third parties. TLS-like encryption where messages can be read by server, is not protecting the content this way, therefore, calling it encryption is misleading. When average user asks "is it encrypted?", they're not asking "Oh I totally get that the developers can access the content but is it safe from passive eavesdropping in the network backend?", they're asking "Can anyone else read the messages?", i.e. "Are they E2EE?". To which the answer is no.

derefr 7y ago

I mean, given the Signal protocol, the alternative would be your messages being routed from your phone via your computer. And the average person's computer isn't on/awake/connected to wifi as often as their phone is, so that'd be a much spottier experience.