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EU Commission to staff: Switch to Signal messaging app

politico.eu

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Re: EU Commission to staff: Switch to Signal messaging app

#131

Post by close04 »

neuronic wrote: post #118
DelightOne wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thats why it should be done like darpa, choosing the best in the end.

Yes, selection should happen after the fact. Build at least an MVP with all critical functionality implemented in working stages. Then use that for the competition to get the contract. Preselection is hot garbage, as proven time and time again. Of course mechanism to mitigate the upfront cost of participating in such a competition should be implemented but in the end it should turn out cheaper/more worthwhile since a…

I’m as certain as I can be that few if any companies will be willing to invest (hundreds of) millions into projects to build some custom solution just to risk losing the bid in the end. And in top of that they would have a product that may have 0 demand elsewhere. Imagine if your employer told you they’ll hire you after you successfully deliver a project to test your worth. You’d think it’s a joke.

And anyway most costs are incurred during the lifetime of the project, after you proved yours is the best solution, with endless change requests, delays that require additional money, etc. The companies bidding usually have far more experience at syphoning money than the client has at holding on to it.

Re: EU Commission to staff: Switch to Signal messaging app

#132

Post by divanvisagie »

blunte wrote: post #112

In previous discussion here on HN, Wire was claimed to be more secure than Signal (something related to initial key sharing?) I don't understand why there's so much publicity behind Signal, and Wire is never mentioned. I've been using Wire for years, and it doesn't require a phone number to setup.

Personally, I'm suspicious of Signal because of its publicity, smells like a pot of honey.

Re: EU Commission to staff: Switch to Signal messaging app

#133

Post by throwinawaysoon »

blunte wrote: post #112

In previous discussion here on HN, Wire was claimed to be more secure than Signal (something related to initial key sharing?) I don't understand why there's so much publicity behind Signal, and Wire is never mentioned. I've been using Wire for years, and it doesn't require a phone number to setup.

We started using Wire before signal few years ago. it was light and we loved the dark interface. Then it got bulky and my Android phone killed it too often to be any useful. Then we switched to signal, it was bare bones, but it was light and didn't miss notifications

Re: EU Commission to staff: Switch to Signal messaging app

#134

Post by Grumbledour »

deugtniet wrote: post #16
Zenst wrote: post #11

I'm supprised they have not developed their own or at least, bankrolled the development of one via grants. Though it would be good if there was an open source communications platform that would allow the public to engage with politicians in a formal and constructive way. Alas, so much disparity in solutions that it often irks me. https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/projects Be great if the interface was bet…

France developed their own matrix protocol based network called tchap. Great idea for a nation that wants to stay independent in an increasingly american/chinese tech dependent world.

The German Bundeswehr seems also interested in using Matrix. [0] A custom and self hosted Matrix implementation from the EU could be a great IT Project to increase security and be less reliable on foreign software. It would require more work than just writing a memo though.

[0] (In German) https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Open-Source-Bundeswe...

Re: EU Commission to staff: Switch to Signal messaging app

#135

Post by patrickaljord »

sschueller wrote: post #65

This is a mistake. They should at least compile their own version and not something that comes from an US based app store under US law. At any point the US can force a change. This is as secure as purchasing a machine from Crypto AG. [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crypto_AG

The OS is US based too and they could easily keylog everything. Even if you wipe out the OS for a self-compiled one, there are blobs running full blown OS in the hardware and it has access to every single hardware resource, good luck getting rid of that one without building your own hardware and drivers from scratch.

Re: EU Commission to staff: Switch to Signal messaging app

#136

Post by usrusr »

101404 wrote: post #30
deugtniet wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

France developed their own matrix protocol based network called tchap. Great idea for a nation that wants to stay independent in an increasingly american/chinese tech dependent world.

When the government in Germany does IT projects, they usually burn millions of Euros even for simple projects. And then, years after the planned rollout, the project is still unfinished and no politician wants to touch it anymore. My favorites was the "special email inbox for lawyers". So, I am somewhat hesitant to let the EU develop a chat client.

On the other hand, German public money had been the most important sponsor of GPG for quite a while. Unfortunately that stopped long ago, I guess all the reasons for that can be broken down to "it was too cheap" in one way or another...

When you try to buy software like this through conventional state procurement mechanism you'll inevitably waste a lot of money, but it would be really cheap to "grow" it through supporting an environment where that can happen. Why doesn't Werner Koch have a position in academia? Third party funding of whole departments is commonplace and is always a blind bet trusting that the grantees will come up with something rewarding.

Re: EU Commission to staff: Switch to Signal messaging app

#138

Post by mattrp »

mcv wrote: post #39
101404 wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When the government in Germany does IT projects, they usually burn millions of Euros even for simple projects. And then, years after the planned rollout, the project is still unfinished and no politician wants to touch it anymore. My favorites was the "special email inbox for lawyers". So, I am somewhat hesitant to let the EU develop a chat client.

The Dutch government is also often terrible at managing IT projects. It seems an industry has evolved to game the public procurement rules required by the EU. Those companies just leech money for never-ending IT projects that tend to be over budget, over time, and working poorly.

s/Dutch/all/g

Re: EU Commission to staff: Switch to Signal messaging app

#139

Post by benschulz »

sschueller wrote: post #65

This is a mistake. They should at least compile their own version and not something that comes from an US based app store under US law. At any point the US can force a change. This is as secure as purchasing a machine from Crypto AG. [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crypto_AG

Giving this advice has almost no cost and, at least arguably, it is better for staff to use Signal than other messengers. So, IMHO, this is good advice.
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