4 ms·

I am using Signal 50% on the phone and 50% on the desktop and they complement each other well, I don't run into problems. The histories are in sync and the only

I am using Signal 50% on the phone and 50% on the desktop and they complement each other well, I don't run into problems. The histories are in sync and the only thing I found annoying so far is the start-up time for the desktop version.

vips7L 6y ago
I only wish the desktop app would let me send SMS.
- Mediterraneo10 6y ago
  SMS is sent by interfacing with your phone’s modem which is connected to the mobile phone network. How would a desktop app be able to do that, except for that tiny minority of users who have a computer that can take a SIM card directly for connectivity?
  - ajsnigrutin 6y ago
    The phone app could sync with the desktop app. You type an sms to the desktop, it syncs with the mobile app, mobile phone sends the sms, gets the reply, and the reply is synced to the desktop app.
    - Mediterraneo10 6y ago
      This would require your phone to be connected to the internet at the moment you press Enter on the desktop, otherwise it could be hours until the SMS goes out. For those on prepaid plans, it would also require that you have enough credit on that phone to send SMS. Perhaps the developers felt that there were too many uncertainties to implement this feature; users might have reacted negatively if it didn’t work for them. Plus, Signal plans to eventually allow multiple phones to be connected to one’s account. Then, the question becomes: if you sent a SMS from your desktop, which of those phones sends the SMS and gets billed by the mobile provider for doing so? You might say that a setting could be made for that, but any new setting requires changes to the UI, too.
      - aesh2Xa1 6y ago
        It works like this on messages.google.com as well. It's not a deal breaker.
  - jhasse 6y ago
    By talking with the app on your phone and asking it to do it.
  - GurnBlandston 6y ago
    https://messages.google.com/ https://messages.google.com/ manages to do it by routing the SMS through your phone.

vips7L 6y ago

I only wish the desktop app would let me send SMS.

Mediterraneo10 6y ago
SMS is sent by interfacing with your phone’s modem which is connected to the mobile phone network. How would a desktop app be able to do that, except for that tiny minority of users who have a computer that can take a SIM card directly for connectivity?
- ajsnigrutin 6y ago
  The phone app could sync with the desktop app. You type an sms to the desktop, it syncs with the mobile app, mobile phone sends the sms, gets the reply, and the reply is synced to the desktop app.
  - Mediterraneo10 6y ago
    This would require your phone to be connected to the internet at the moment you press Enter on the desktop, otherwise it could be hours until the SMS goes out. For those on prepaid plans, it would also require that you have enough credit on that phone to send SMS. Perhaps the developers felt that there were too many uncertainties to implement this feature; users might have reacted negatively if it didn’t work for them. Plus, Signal plans to eventually allow multiple phones to be connected to one’s account. Then, the question becomes: if you sent a SMS from your desktop, which of those phones sends the SMS and gets billed by the mobile provider for doing so? You might say that a setting could be made for that, but any new setting requires changes to the UI, too.
    - aesh2Xa1 6y ago
      It works like this on messages.google.com as well. It's not a deal breaker.
- jhasse 6y ago
  By talking with the app on your phone and asking it to do it.
- GurnBlandston 6y ago
  https://messages.google.com/ https://messages.google.com/ manages to do it by routing the SMS through your phone.