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Doesn't it make more sense to have a WhatsApp backup file to Signal backup file converter rather than forking the whole app. This fork would end up being a sig

by robjan 6y ago

Doesn't it make more sense to have a WhatsApp backup file to Signal backup file converter rather than forking the whole app. This fork would end up being a significant maintenance overhead for something that could be done more simply.

Semaphor 6y ago
That’s essentially what this is. You install it to migrate, then you remove it again and install the original Signal app, as per the steps in the repo. I would guess it was easier (or even only possible) this way.
- est31 6y ago
  Yeah it's probably already hard enough to expect the average phone user to know how to (un)install apps. But expecting them to know which directory the file is in and is supposed to go into? Way harder.
  - the_arun 6y ago
    Also, let us think what if someone wants to migrate from another similar App - say telegram? Will we have another fork?
  - folkrav 6y ago
    > The purpose of this fork is to make the transition to Signal easier. It was created out of a personal need and might not be supported or extended in the long run. Doesn't sound like he really put much more thought into it than "make it work". Like most of these one-and-done things, as a developer, you take the easy path, then forget about it.
  - cbsmith 6y ago
    You'd be surprised. Uninstalling apps seems to be a very common procedure broadly practiced by people with their phones.
andreareina 6y ago
If the backup restore is a merge rather than a nuke and pave it might make sense to do whatever Molly[1][2] does to allow it to be installed alongside Signal, so it's install this, import from WhatsApp, then backup/restore without having to do the uninstall/reinstall dance. [1] https://github.com/mollyim/mollyim-android https://github.com/mollyim/mollyim-android [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25743852 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25743852
mhaymo 6y ago
Presumably once the kinks are worked out of this process, it could be merged into the main release of Signal. No second app required.
- shawnz 6y ago
  I believe the Signal devs expressed a lack of interest in doing this since it would mean embedding secret Whatsapp encryption keys in Signal. See: https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/issues/1014 https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/issues/1014 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25686179 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25686179
  - Vinnl 6y ago
    They're interested [1], but as usual, giving some though on how to do that in a privacy-maximising way: > Thanks, we know [backup] is a big deal and think about it a lot. We're working on ways to do it that would be privacy preserving, and in the mean time we've got the p2p device transfer you mention. We'll keep working to make it better! [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/kt91qk/signal_private_messenger_team_here_we_support_an/gikqa81/?context=3 https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/kt91qk/signal_p...
    - codys 6y ago
      It appears you've linked to a comment about the lack of a way to backup signal messages on iOS. That is separate(ish) from the importing of messages from WhatsApp. So, no, they're not interested in WhatsApp import (per the closed ticket liked by the parent). Additionally, the statement from signal is just PR spew. It boils down to "Nah, we won't make a way to do that.". The "privacy preserving" bit is nonsense because they have an export/import to a file on android.
      - Vinnl 6y ago
        Oh whoops, my bad - I was under the impression it was about import/export of Signal messages in general. There's been so much news about Signal recently that I'm getting comments mixed up, it seems.
godelski 6y ago
There's some extra weirdness about this too. The fork is from johanw666 and not from SignalApp. Johan has additional customizations in his fork, such as ignoring deletes. I thought the reason to fork here was because it would be a useful merge into the main branch but given that it is a fork of a fork that makes things harder.

by robjan 6y ago

Semaphor 6y ago

That’s essentially what this is. You install it to migrate, then you remove it again and install the original Signal app, as per the steps in the repo. I would guess it was easier (or even only possible) this way.

est31 6y ago
Yeah it's probably already hard enough to expect the average phone user to know how to (un)install apps. But expecting them to know which directory the file is in and is supposed to go into? Way harder.
- the_arun 6y ago
  Also, let us think what if someone wants to migrate from another similar App - say telegram? Will we have another fork?
- folkrav 6y ago
  > The purpose of this fork is to make the transition to Signal easier. It was created out of a personal need and might not be supported or extended in the long run. Doesn't sound like he really put much more thought into it than "make it work". Like most of these one-and-done things, as a developer, you take the easy path, then forget about it.
- cbsmith 6y ago
  You'd be surprised. Uninstalling apps seems to be a very common procedure broadly practiced by people with their phones.

andreareina 6y ago

If the backup restore is a merge rather than a nuke and pave it might make sense to do whatever Molly[1][2] does to allow it to be installed alongside Signal, so it's install this, import from WhatsApp, then backup/restore without having to do the uninstall/reinstall dance. [1] https://github.com/mollyim/mollyim-android https://github.com/mollyim/mollyim-android [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25743852 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25743852

mhaymo 6y ago

Presumably once the kinks are worked out of this process, it could be merged into the main release of Signal. No second app required.

shawnz 6y ago
I believe the Signal devs expressed a lack of interest in doing this since it would mean embedding secret Whatsapp encryption keys in Signal. See: https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/issues/1014 https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/issues/1014 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25686179 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25686179
- Vinnl 6y ago
  They're interested [1], but as usual, giving some though on how to do that in a privacy-maximising way: > Thanks, we know [backup] is a big deal and think about it a lot. We're working on ways to do it that would be privacy preserving, and in the mean time we've got the p2p device transfer you mention. We'll keep working to make it better! [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/kt91qk/signal_private_messenger_team_here_we_support_an/gikqa81/?context=3 https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/kt91qk/signal_p...
  - codys 6y ago
    It appears you've linked to a comment about the lack of a way to backup signal messages on iOS. That is separate(ish) from the importing of messages from WhatsApp. So, no, they're not interested in WhatsApp import (per the closed ticket liked by the parent). Additionally, the statement from signal is just PR spew. It boils down to "Nah, we won't make a way to do that.". The "privacy preserving" bit is nonsense because they have an export/import to a file on android.
    - Vinnl 6y ago
      Oh whoops, my bad - I was under the impression it was about import/export of Signal messages in general. There's been so much news about Signal recently that I'm getting comments mixed up, it seems.

godelski 6y ago

There's some extra weirdness about this too. The fork is from johanw666 and not from SignalApp. Johan has additional customizations in his fork, such as ignoring deletes. I thought the reason to fork here was because it would be a useful merge into the main branch but given that it is a fork of a fork that makes things harder.