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Poll: Switching from WhatsApp

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691–700 of 972 posts

Re: Poll: Switching from WhatsApp

#691

Where is the "Don't switch" option? Because as much as I hate that Facebook bought them, they're part of what I would call "critical social infrastructure." Asking to leave WhatsApp is like cancelling your contract with your ISP and going offline just because you don't like the company.

> Asking to leave WhatsApp is like cancelling your contract with your ISP and going offline just because you don't like the company.

If I choose to stop using my ISP, I have no need to "go offline". I can simply switch ISPs and I still get the exact same internet. This is why we must not fall for this "critical social infrastructure" trap. No one company deserves our business. We can and should go elsewhere.

Messaging should be like the internet. If I don't like my messaging provider, I should be able to switch and still message everybody. Ideally, I would be able to bring my identifier with me. Luckily, SMS already provides this. I therefore recommend old-fashioned SMS/MMS for messaging. If you want something more "modern", I would recommend Matrix, as it is the only "modern" messaging system that wants to allow people to switch providers while still messaging the same people.

Re: Poll: Switching from WhatsApp

#692

I use Telegram long before it became sort of mainstream and I haven't regretted that decision for a minute, minus their outages that started happening once every few months lately and are worrying. Tried Whatsapp once, hated it, never tried again. Viber is even worse. Telegram has been what an IM program should be, for years now (it gave me the vibe of my much beloved Miranda IM almost 20 years ago). I'd love it if t…

Telegram has a broken business model from the start. It doesn't make money and it's not sustainable. Somebody could take over telegram and start a pretty similar service to facebook since most of the chats are not encrypted. So if Durov were not to lead his vision of 100% free Telegram it might get really bad. A service ran on savings of the founder as philantropic as he is is not sustainable. They will either pivot…

This is true for every app in the list except Matrix, which is distributed.

Re: Poll: Switching from WhatsApp

#693

Where is the "Don't switch" option? Because as much as I hate that Facebook bought them, they're part of what I would call "critical social infrastructure." Asking to leave WhatsApp is like cancelling your contract with your ISP and going offline just because you don't like the company.

> Asking to leave WhatsApp is like cancelling your contract with your ISP and going offline just because you don't like the company. If I choose to stop using my ISP, I have no need to "go offline". I can simply switch ISPs and I still get the exact same internet. This is why we must not fall for this "critical social infrastructure" trap. No one company deserves our business. We can and should go elsewhere. Messagin…

> Matrix ... the only "modern" messaging system that wants to allow people to switch providers while still messaging the same people.

But does it really do so in practice? If I'm using Element/Matrix and a colleague is using WhatsApp, or Signal, or Telegram, or Briar. Can they reliably send me messages? Can I reliably send them messages?

I've been told it's possible, but more than one person I know has tried and failed. Is it common? Reliable? Possible?

Or theoretical, and unachievable in practice?

Have you done it?

Re: Poll: Switching from WhatsApp

#694

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"It is just one out of literally dozens of available text messaging apps" It baffles me people are still saying this. You can only message people that are using the SAME messaging app as you. I can't just up and switch apps and expect my 30+ friends and relatives and housemates and coworkers to switch with me!

> You can only message people that are using the SAME messaging app as you. No, Matrix supports bridging with about two dozen protocols,¹ many of which support multiple clients (at least 7: IRC, RSS, Email, SMS, Mastodon, libpurple —actually a library supporting multiple protocols including IRC and XMPP— and Twitter) — some of which have dozens if not hundreds of clients. ¹IRC, Slack, RSS, Gitter, Discord, RocketChat…

The linked to page does not mention XMPP...

Re: Poll: Switching from WhatsApp

#695
As much as I would like to use signal no one I know are using it.

I just installed signal on my wife's phone and she doesn't have anyone using signal as well.

How can we build the network effect when the network effect is so strong for WhatsApp!

Re: Poll: Switching from WhatsApp

#697
Here in India everyone uses WhatsApp, from grandmas and children to teachers, office workers and even Police officers. It serves versatile purposes, of hosting both a chat platform and a social network for groups and has been so much ingrained in India's societies that "texting" literally means sending a WhatsApp message here. In state elections, WhatsApp is the main platform the ruling party (BJP) focused most of its campaigns on. With such a setup it is extremely difficult to move to another platform.

The next popular platform is Telegram, but it is used mainly to share and access pirated movies and apps from shady channels than for everyday communication.

Re: Poll: Switching from WhatsApp

#698
post #72
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When they run out of money to pay for servers they can sell assets as they please to whomever they please.

Brian Acton, WhatsApp co-founder, one who left Facebook post-acquisition, infused 50M USD into Signal. And, Signal is community-supported through donations. I hope that Signal remains here for a long time.

It is strange he moved from seeing a centralized messenger project he founded be morphed into a monster, only to double down and invest in yet another privacy hostile centralized messaging system hoping for a different result.

Anything not decentralized is going to get abused eventually. The US government could seize the client signing keys, release s backdoored client, and dump the SGX keys and gag order everything in the name of national security. We have seen similar play out in China. Even the mighty Apple gave up HSM keys and caved to CCP censorship demands. It is only a matter of time.

I fear they are well meaning but woefully naive.

We need censorship resistant standard protocols anyone can implement and help host so there is no SPOF.

Re: Poll: Switching from WhatsApp

#699
post #322

Where is the "Don't switch" option? Because as much as I hate that Facebook bought them, they're part of what I would call "critical social infrastructure." Asking to leave WhatsApp is like cancelling your contract with your ISP and going offline just because you don't like the company.

There's also the keep WhatsApp for legacy contacts but use Signal or some such for new ones option. Personally I'm probably a bit odd here in that I don't mind facebook having my info. So they may show me a personalised ad - big deal.

This is much more important than personal preference. This is detrimental to the flow of information in entire countries, no kidding. Each person can contribute to end this – or not.

Re: Poll: Switching from WhatsApp

#700

Where is the "Don't switch" option? Because as much as I hate that Facebook bought them, they're part of what I would call "critical social infrastructure." Asking to leave WhatsApp is like cancelling your contract with your ISP and going offline just because you don't like the company.

Last I checked, my phone and my computer do not require me to use only messaging app. WhatsApp is "critical" now only now due to its network effects, but you can transition away to something else. Right now I have maybe a dozen friends and family members on my matrix server. I helped them set up the app, configured their communick accounts, made a few video calls to ensure it was working, etc. Current step is to help…

Nobody is going to get their whole family circle to move to Matrix.
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