5 ms·

As long as I need a phone to use those, they are not a solution.

by kuon 1y ago

just-ok 1y ago
Signal has a desktop app. Unless you mean phone number, in which case I get where you’re coming from, though I think they allow just usernames now.
- barbazoo 1y ago
  Usernames are only for discoverability. You still need a phone number.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- CactusRocket 1y ago
  You need to install the phone app to be able to activate it. If you've been offline on the desktop app for too long, you need the phone app again to re-active the desktop app. I've also noticed a lot of issues synchronizing messages between computers using the desktop app, without having the app on a phone. They allow usernames as an alternative to sharing your phone number with other people. You still need a phone number (and the phone app) to create and activate an account. It's very phone-first.
noman-land 1y ago
It depends on your threat model. Since WhatsApp also requires a phone, Signal is the superior option and therefor a solution to using WhatsApp.
- CactusRocket 1y ago
  Also depends on where you're coming from. My friends use WhatsApp and I don't because of privacy considerations. If they switch to Signal, I might still not use it because they want my phone number (and their servers are centralized, owned by one organization). So for them, amongst each-other, it would be fine to all switch to Signal probably. But for those of us who have been avoiding it altogether so far, it might not change anything whatsoever.
  - pcthrowaway 1y ago
    > and their servers are centralized, owned by one organization For what it's worth, everything about signal is open source and you can see how little data they can actually collect from you even if they wanted to. I believe they wouldn't be able to start collecting more data by modifying the server code, because the features which prevent them from receiving your info are built into the protocol and the client apps as well. But since it is open source I suppose it would be possible to run your own server too... I suspect you just wouldn't be able to talk to the same people if you did (you'd effectively be running your own version of signal and that server would do the necessary coordination tasks for you and the other people using it)
    - CactusRocket 1y ago
      I think in this day and age, it's "fine I guess" that it's set up that way: most services do that. But going forward, I think it's much better if services work in the way that e.g. email and IRC work: decentralized and federated. Nobody can know what will happen with Signal, or the USA in general. We'll be having this whole conversation about switching chat clients again in a couple of years. Whereas with a decentralized service, it doesn't matter. Anyone can build the software, anyone can run a server. Regardless of what happens to the people or organizations behind it.
jraph 1y ago
You will need a phone number, but you can make it work without a phone. signal-cli lets you register from a computer. If you have a modem in your computer, you can use this to receive the confirmation SMS. A friend also managed to register a landline (I think the phone received a code through a voice message).
f1shy 1y ago
I have just learn about delta chat. Uses mail. Seems good.
gitaarik 1y ago
Then use Session: https://getsession.org/ https://getsession.org/
- tasuki 1y ago
  I got shouted at for recommending it. Something about cryptography they're doing wrong. Wonderful UX though: account unlocked by seed phrase which you can note down and easily transfer between devices.

As long as I need a phone to use those, they are not a solution.

by kuon 1y ago

As long as I need a phone to use those, they are not a solution.

Signal has a desktop app. Unless you mean phone number, in which case I get where you’re coming from, though I think they allow just usernames now.

barbazoo 1y ago
Usernames are only for discoverability. You still need a phone number.
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
CactusRocket 1y ago
You need to install the phone app to be able to activate it. If you've been offline on the desktop app for too long, you need the phone app again to re-active the desktop app. I've also noticed a lot of issues synchronizing messages between computers using the desktop app, without having the app on a phone. They allow usernames as an alternative to sharing your phone number with other people. You still need a phone number (and the phone app) to create and activate an account. It's very phone-first.

noman-land 1y ago

It depends on your threat model. Since WhatsApp also requires a phone, Signal is the superior option and therefor a solution to using WhatsApp.

CactusRocket 1y ago
Also depends on where you're coming from. My friends use WhatsApp and I don't because of privacy considerations. If they switch to Signal, I might still not use it because they want my phone number (and their servers are centralized, owned by one organization). So for them, amongst each-other, it would be fine to all switch to Signal probably. But for those of us who have been avoiding it altogether so far, it might not change anything whatsoever.
- pcthrowaway 1y ago
  > and their servers are centralized, owned by one organization For what it's worth, everything about signal is open source and you can see how little data they can actually collect from you even if they wanted to. I believe they wouldn't be able to start collecting more data by modifying the server code, because the features which prevent them from receiving your info are built into the protocol and the client apps as well. But since it is open source I suppose it would be possible to run your own server too... I suspect you just wouldn't be able to talk to the same people if you did (you'd effectively be running your own version of signal and that server would do the necessary coordination tasks for you and the other people using it)
  - CactusRocket 1y ago
    I think in this day and age, it's "fine I guess" that it's set up that way: most services do that. But going forward, I think it's much better if services work in the way that e.g. email and IRC work: decentralized and federated. Nobody can know what will happen with Signal, or the USA in general. We'll be having this whole conversation about switching chat clients again in a couple of years. Whereas with a decentralized service, it doesn't matter. Anyone can build the software, anyone can run a server. Regardless of what happens to the people or organizations behind it.

jraph 1y ago

You will need a phone number, but you can make it work without a phone. signal-cli lets you register from a computer. If you have a modem in your computer, you can use this to receive the confirmation SMS. A friend also managed to register a landline (I think the phone received a code through a voice message).

f1shy 1y ago

I have just learn about delta chat. Uses mail. Seems good.

gitaarik 1y ago

Then use Session: https://getsession.org/ https://getsession.org/

tasuki 1y ago
I got shouted at for recommending it. Something about cryptography they're doing wrong. Wonderful UX though: account unlocked by seed phrase which you can note down and easily transfer between devices.