I only use it because there’s no way I could convince my friends and family to move to anything else.
There’s no point in switching to another app if I then literally couldn’t communicate with the people I need to through it.
I’ve been using Beeper a month or two. They had a long waiting list, and initially it was subscription only, but they are working on smashing through the waiting list and have changed to a freemium model where you get it for free and (eventually) they will have extra features for subscribers.
Basically, it’s one chat app that connects to lots of different chat services.
If you’re technical, the app is a fork of Element, and the service uses matrix bridges to connect to different chat services, but it’s all presented in a (somewhat) polished way. The wait list is because they are still struggling with scaling and quirks but if you’re on Lemmy you’re probably already well familiar with putting up with this.
It covers heaps of chat networks. Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Signal, Telegram, and more. It also will let you SMS (unlike Signal 😬).
You can also connect to Matrix rooms but you don’t seem to be able to connect to an existing Matrix account (it uses a Beeper matrix account to connect).
It doesn’t do video/audio calls so they recommend you leave the original app installed and disable message notifications (but leave on call notifications) if you use this.
app is closed source :/
Looks cool though
Yep. But if you’re keen on this stuff, you can self host matrix and the bridges and do it yourself. Their bridges are open source, just not their apps whose features are their business model.
That’s interesting!
I’m just not sure the “security” of WhatsApp is preserved in that case but it’s certainly better than not being able to talk to certain people at all.
Also I think these kind of meta chat apps have been tried before and it usually doesn’t end very well so I’m not sure I would be super optimistic.
Any of the chat provider can break their link to beeper and since they probably don’t really care about it it shouldn’t very reliable.
But a cool find nonetheless!
I remember I used to have Pidgin, but facebook closed the messenger API (I think, this was a while ago) How does this work?
For pidgin I think you can host your own xmpp server?
I think the core issue is that I don’t have enough social clout to get people to change messaging platforms.
I’m afraid I don’t know the details 🙁
A modern-day Trillian.
Nice. Looking into this one. Although in reality I use about 95% whatsapp just because everyone else does. Wish we could all just switch to Signal or even Telegram but nah… Whatsapp is so engrained everywhere that it is not going to go away anytime soon.
Well, that’s super neat and very useful for my circumstances. I’m moving outside of the US soon to a place where WhatsApp is dominant, but I still want to use SMS/MMS with family and friends in the US since I doubt they’ll make the switch. I’ve been using WhatsApp for about a year now while coordinating stuff for my soon-to-be home and I’ve come to the conclusion that WhatsApp is complete garbage.
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Messaging apps curse is exactly that… No matter how good they are, if nobody is using it… In WhatsApp I have +100 of my contacts, in Telegram, 20. In Signal, less than 10, so…
Signal kinda put themselves out of the messaging app battle when they dropped SMS support
I totally get why they did it, but I think a lot of people stopped using it for this reason, unfortunately
I don’t really want to start a debate on the Signal SMS dropout but …
They could have put a big red warning and a disclaimer you have to read once for the unsecured SMS. It would have been fine.
Yes, you would have to maintain that but I think it would definitely have been worth it considering how much reach they lost dropping this feature.
I stopped using Signal when they did, and that’s one less tech user advertising their secure app.
It’s a shame because I think this will slowly kill the project.
I tend to agree
I don’t think anyone uses or cares about SMS where I live
Lucky you. SMS is still the primary way people message each other where I live.
That’s rough. I guess at least it’s universal
I don’t mind it so much. At least it’s not Facebook Messenger or Whatsapp. I’d rather die than put those on my phone.
Facebook Messenger is dogshit but WhatsApp works well imo. More features than sms or even rcs. Dogshit privacy though, even if security might be good.
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Yeah, I guess I’m not sure about the actual statistics. I do know it was the point when I realized I wouldn’t personally use Signal because everyone I know uses SMS, SMS federates with email, and if I tried switching to a non-SMS app, I’d be screaming into a void.
The only other message apps people around here use are Snapchat, FB Messenger, and WhatsApp, and I’d rather cut people off than use any of those.
same here. Heck, even Nextcloud Talk is more sophisticated than frickin’ WhatsApp these days…
Same but replace WhatsApp with messenger and iMessage.
I literally installed Telegram/Signal on my families devices, synced their contacts with the app, and said “if you want timely responses, message me here”
I think this could help you.
Interesting I’ll look into it thanks
Wait until you hear how many people use facebook messenger.
💀
Yeah, that’s the real “internet explorer of messaging services”. Absolutely sucks to use it (doesn’t even.deliver messages to me half the time), but 90% insist on it for chat groupa and such.
Basically all of Scandinavia
I do have like 2 people I only talk to once or twice a year that I don’t have any other known contact for. But I only use it very rarely because of that. If I ever stop talking to them, I’ll finally delete the whole account.
Signal is the best.
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What matrix is missing is anyone that I know. Ultimately that is way more important than features in a messaging client.
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I’ve used signal for ages but didn’t know what Matrix was until Lemmy tbh
In turn you can bet that who has one on Matrix will have one on Session, SimpleX and at least other 10 apps you’ve never heard about
It has bridges for most messaging services so you could use a matrix frontend for most of your messaging needs without having people on matrix so long as the server admin has set up those extensions
Signal client looks optimized on MacOS and Linux i don’t use Windows so not sure what’s going on there
I use it on windows. The client is totally fine for the most part.
Though for some reason it regularly screws up the device-connection, forcing me to reconnect the device, loosing access to every old message. Seems to be a rare bug though, as my family also uses the windows client and theirs never has this problem (out of 8 device 1 has this problem)
+1 for linux cluent, absolutely no complaints
I register my Signal on off-shore phone number and i use it over MullvadVPN with multi-hop so i think is pretty private this way
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Well Signal Desktop client and Server is running on Java 🥲🥲🥲
Yeah, it sucks that if I were using Signal only on my phone and eventually decide to start using it on desktop, it doesn’t sync any conversation history, resulting in the desktop client showing nothing from before you set it up. It should have older devices send history to new ones. If you’re permanently switching devices, are you losing that history for good?
Nope, you can backup the chats and import them when installing Signal on the new device
Hadn’t thought of that!
There’s no way that we can have a mainstream alternative to imessage if we keep declaring a new app or protocol the new best one every two years.
All Google needs to do is make a public RCS API. Then we will have all the important features iMessage has on Android via regular texting. I have no fucking clue why they are making RCS exclusive to their messaging app.
iMessage can’t be “the mainstream” app by locking out most of the world tho. Plus it is definitely the ugliest thing Apple has ever made in its lifetime that I know of.
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Hopefully the new MLS for app interoperability will ease the adoption of any newer app
Still waiting for the ability to log in one two phones, and ideally also uncompressed photo/file sending
But yea Signal is great
SimpleX or Matrix are way better
Session is good too but is only used by IT people… Signal is used by lawyers and many more
SimpleX >>>> Matrix
I don’t think it’s really a chat app. Isn’t it just a text replacement? Or does it just use that number as your ID to use it? I have it, but only ever used it with one guy.
It has lots of nice features over SMS: read/typing notifications, image/video support, proper groups, message expiration. I think that makes it a chat app
I was implying mms as well. Didn’t know about the other additions. I only knew one person with it, and we haven’t spoken in years.
I have all those features with Google Messages (as long as I’m not talking to an iPhone user).
Signal’s UI has improved a lot though. Still I only know one person that uses it.
I wish people would stop using the Crowder meme template.
Same. We even have a nice alternative. https://postimg.cc/rzvDYFXW
From now on, I’ll adhere to the “Calvin: Change my mind” meme format. Thank you for your input. 🫡
Oh shit that is him! I never even noticed before. Major ick.
Why?
Because he’s an asshole. A grifting asshole to be specific.
I feel like I would never get along with anyone who has an attitude of “I believe X. Change my mind.” I can’t imagine anyone starting a conversation that way is not an asshole.
Oh i get it now. The person in the photo is an asshole in real life. It only took me a day of wondering why would someone be an asshole for not liking a meme template 😅
How come?
He’s a right wing piece of shit who constantly says and does the most unhinged shit. Don’t really follow him, but from the top of my head, he mocked George Floyd’s death, he mocks trans people on a regular basis…
Eh, whatsapp isn’t ideal and its owner is one of the big devils of today, but it’s the only way to send and receive instant messages among billions of people. I despise it, but it’s the only way I can contact people. Needless to say, they don’t give a single flying fuck about privacy.
Whatsapp outages make people migrate to Telegram for 1-2 days at most, nobody ends up staying there. Signal? I’ve only ever met three other people in RL who have even heard of it, and I work in IT.
A more apt comparison would be to languages. Whatsapp is english: clunky, weird, full of nonsense, but it’s what “everyone talks”. Signal would probably be lojban or esperanto.
This is SMS in the US. No one uses WhatsApp, telegram or matrix. Every iphone user uses imessage and so we are stuck with SMS.
Aside from needing a phone, I really don’t see the issue with SMS. For sending quick messages to people directly, is there really a better tool? You (most likely) already have a phone plan, you already have a phone, and your phone is always on you. Everyone you’re trying to contact is in the same boat, even people who are technically illiterate. All phones with phone plans support SMS, unless there’s weird plans I don’t know about.
When it comes to more complex needs (group management, e2e encryption, etc) other services are better of course. I don’t use SMS to text my group of friends, it’s really not well suited for the job.
SMS does not have any encryption at all.
Aside from needing a phone
That is a huge one for me. Yes, I have a phone. But I spend most of my waking time in front of a desktop or laptop. With Whatsapp, Telegram or Signal I can read and write messages from the computer, copy/paste text to the documents I am writing, and send and download files. SMS are more limited.
As a Signal user and an Esperantist I agree. They both require a somewhat curious mind for you to bump into them in the first place. Unless you have that friend/relative who always recommends weird stuff for you (to ignore).
Why would it even be weird or anything? I only use Signal and its pretty much the same as whatsapp on the outside…just in blue. The only reason people dont use it is because “eVerYonE hAs WhAtsApP” and they dont bother. 20 useless crap apps but 2 messengers is too much
Yeah, but I disagree. Signal doesn’t require that by design, it’s just as easy to use as WhatsApp (unlike something like Matrix or Lemmy). It’s just as easy to switch and has a better privacy. And while I even don’t use it much, I actually know quite some people on it (majority of which is non-techy).
as another signal user and esperantist, i unfortunately agree as well. but it doesnt have to be like this
I have never used Whatsapp nor does anyone I know.
It’s mostly not used in the US afaik. I’ve seen it in a lot of places in Europe and the middle east
According to Statista, 41% of 'muricans use it, which is a rather low number. Meanwhile, Brazil is the whatsapp country, in terms of percentage. In total numbers, that’d be India, as it’s the most populous country in the world.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1311229/whatsapp-usage-messaging-app-users-by-country/
Murican, I suppose.
SMS is IE, Whatsapp is Chrome, and Signal is Firefox. Use Signal/Firefox.
I disagree. IE was incredibly proprietary, and SMS is at least an open standard.
IE is…idk Facebook messenger or Imessage or something.
ICQ
Ahh Trillian and Miranda memories…
Nah. SMS and iMessage are the IE of messaging. Unsafe and locked in.
iMessage I’ll give you, but how is SMS locked in? It’s a completely open standard.
I was thinking of SMS alternatives at a carrier level… But yeah, you’re right.
Fuck Steven Crowder and any meme based on his bullshit
Who’s Steve Crowder?
A asshole conservative influencer whose bad faith knows no bounds. He’s also recently been in the news for treating his ex wife like a slave/property. Really creepy shit.
Tldr; he’s a huge asshole.
You can say fascist, it’s okay.
True. Fascists are sort of like the ultimate assholes though.
He’s also recently been in the news for treating his ex wife like a slave/property
Wait wtf?
Oh yeah. The videos are horrific imo
But the memes are 👌
Fair
The why has been explained, but everyone assumes you know who Steven Crowder is. He’s the guy in the meme.
If you already realized that, that’s fine. It was a recent discovery for me.
Everyone always says this every time this meme is posted without explaining why he sucks. I’m not motivated enough to Google it. Yes, I understand the irony of the fact that I’m writing this, and could have just googled it in the amount of time I’ve taken to type this out. I’m still not googling it.
He’s a conservative talking head who likes to rage bait anyone further left on the spectrum than him.
I say this based on an admittedly extremely limited bit of information, and a heavy helping of just guessing about the rest.
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Alt Right think tank leader
In some countries like India, people just assume that everyone uses whatsapp. It’s gotten to the point where whatsapp has become the definition of messaging (for most people).
I don’t see how Whatsapp is outdated to the point where one would compare it to IE, but I’ll say whatsapp is more like Google Chrome than IE.
That’s the reality in most of the world nowadays. Latin America is exactly the same (including Brazil) and while traveling through Europe every single Airbnb communication with the hosts was made through WhatsApp… 8 years ago, I imagine it’s even more massive now.
My last trip to the US a co-worker was really surprised I kept sending voice notes and I realized I haven’t called my wife in at least my last 3 trips… But we communicate a lot. Async is way better than sync.
Agree. I have family in Europe & they all use WhatsApp.
Except it does nearly everything any other messaging app does, so there really is no need to force a switch. Unlike Internet Explorer, that used outdated rendering engine making it both slow and buggy, it was unsafe as it used ActiveX, didn’t support ad-blockers it actually broke or didn’t open most new website.
Its privacy is very questionable, but how is it outdated?
Telegram laughs in the corner Whatsapp is copying telegram features that are implemented years before
Telegram is a superior messaging app but it’s privacy is questionable. The fact that they keep their encryption protocol hidden is bothersome and the aren’t e2ee by default. And as stated before, it’s not certain their e2ee is as private as they claim.
IIRC they did publish their encryption protocol, at least a lot of information about it is here. It’s true E2EE is not enabled by default.
In the end, both encryption protocols are hidden. We can’t really be sure they use what they say they are using in both cases.
TG has become a very big source of Piracy in recent years.
People only use TG for that mostly at this point.
How is that, in any way, answering the question?! You could mention some of those features…
It’s copying features that hangouts has abandon.
Sorry, I don’t have Twitter, I tried opening the profile, but it keeps blocking me, even Nitter and Squawker don’t work
Yeah telegram may be better but the amount of people who use it is very few, the only people I know uses telegram is for porn or download movies and song, not for messaging. In the actual state telegram doesn’t worth it because probably you circle of friends doesn’t use it. Of course this is the case of my friends and my country (Colombia) where it’s more probably find one to use WhatsApp than telegram
I hope that the DMA gets passed in the EU. It’ll (hopefully) break the monopoly worldwide
Interoperability is a weird one though. Imagine WhatsApp can connect to Signal, and people use this feature. What would then be the point of using Signal, if WhatsApp gets the data after all?
(Signal has already announced not wanting to support this, I just used it as an example)
As I understand it, your example should be the other way around. WhatsApp will need to offer a public API to allow Signal to send and receive messages to/from WhatsApp users.
Signal is unlikely to be deemed a gatekeeper, so can keep their closed communication ecosystem. They can just optionally choose to support interop with WhatsApp. If they prefer, they can also have big warning signs in the UI, when their users decide to utilize that interop.
Whatever way it works, I could see people giving up certain services if they allow interoperability with the gatekeepers, because why use these alternatives then.
But then again, the services that take privacy seriously won’t do it in the first place, so it should be a non-issue.
I just don’t want to be tied to an apple device to Message people who only have iMessage. I live outside of the US but all my family, friends, and contacts are there.
I feel locked into iOS as international texting and calls would be so expensive.
Both Apple and Google need to get their shit together on this one, put their pride aside and agree on a standard.
I’m an apple user, but I really think the issue is being created by apple. They talked about doing iMessage on android and then someone else was like no we can’t we want people to be locked into their iPhone.
Oh, it’s both. They both act like insufferable little kids with that
Google has also kept RCS proprietary. Google shares the blame as well imo
True. However there are certain advantages
- WhatsApp gets only a part of your data (coz many people might be on different apps)
- You don’t have to run WhatsApp on your device so they can’t collect that data either
I know it’s not perfect but better than the current scenario and a step in the right direction
Since WhatsApp is proprietary, we don’t know if the users are the only ones who can decrypt their messages. I’ll always have to assume Meta can read everything, which is the most sensible data they could possibly collect.
So that alone should be reason enough to avoid it.
Yes. I don’t endorse WhatsApp. What I meant is if you chat with 15 people out of which 5 use WhatsApp, only those 5 chats are potentially readable by Meta. Because those are the only chats which will get sent to Meta servers.
So you have the benefit that the other 10 chats are not readable by Meta.
Yeah, true. And concerning your name and phone number, they probably already have that too, one way or another.
I prefer Signal to Whatsapp. IDC about Whatsapp having my data. The point is choosing the app which most suits your needs and wants.
So what needs do you have outside of a different look? Privacy doesn’t seem to be one of them, and the two apps are very similar otherwise.
So I can use one app I like and message or call anyone I need to reach without having to set up 10 accounts.
Fair enough. Won’t work with Signal though, they’ve stated that they will never open up
Signal is irrelevant. It’s just an example. I can try Telegram or any other app.
The point is that anyone could switch at any time and we wouldn’t have to make switch all at once.
There would be real competition.
Oh man, I hadn’t heard of the DMA before. How exciting!
I only heard of it because I follow Matrix blog.
I saw the technical discussions (if you are a tech person I would recommend watching those on YT) and it seems that EU is trying to find some middle ground where companies won’t have to incur a lot of losses but still be open and create a fair environment for newcomers.
I think it’s already been passed, it should be coming into force next year!
Oh wow. TIL! Any recommendws sources? I want to read the full coverage
Oh yeah it says it directly on the wiki page you linked XD
was signed into law by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU in September 2022
Lmao my bad. Thanks I’ll read up about it.
Can we further compress this meme template to the point that nobody could possibly tell it’s Stephen Crowder in it
here you go:
it’s 5.6 kB webp
That’s surprisingly high quality for something measured in 4 digit bytes
Beautiful, thank you
Crowder… ugh. What a terrible human being.
I never have any problems Whatsapp. My messages get sent and I receive messages no problem.
Yeah the real problem is giving Facebook any control at all over your messaging experience.
Someone has not used Line…
I’ve only seen it being used in Japan. Are there other places where its widely used?
No.
That’s not correct, it’s widely used in Thailand and Taiwan.
I love Cony and Brown but I’m never using that app.
Line is awesome, didn’t know people hated it.
