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Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

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Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#131

Post by codys »

Vinnl wrote: post #118
shawnz wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25686179

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_p...

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.

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#133

Post by jeroenhd »

t0astbread wrote: post #132

Not 100% on-topic since this is designed for ephemeral use but what is Signal's general stance towards forks on their server? I've considered switching to it but I don't like their official APK distributions.

I haven't seen any evidence to indicate that alternative clients are supported or even tolerated. I don't think Signal will start blocking custom clients, but I don't think the Signal project will aid or cooperate with any development of an alternative client.

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#134

Post by valera_rozuvan »

The repository mentions [0] the Wassenaar agreement, and that I must consult with the laws of my country on whether I am allowed to import/use software which includes encryption algorithms developed in other countries.

Wat?

In this day and age 99% (OK, this number is exaggerated, but you get my point) of software includes some sort of encryption. For one, think about all the libs/apps which communicate over the Internet and use encryption libs to talk via HTTPs. Is mentioning The Wassenaar Arrangement [1] in terms of software even necessary nowadays?

Linux, Windows, MacOS - all have encryption libs built in (at least on the kernel level). They have been made in various countries, yet they are used all over the world. Do they fall under the terms of The Wassenaar Arrangement?

--------

[0] https://github.com/jukefoxer/Signal-Android/tree/feature/wa-...

[1] https://www.wassenaar.org

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#135

Post by josteink »

jeroenhd wrote: post #133
t0astbread wrote: post #132

Not 100% on-topic since this is designed for ephemeral use but what is Signal's general stance towards forks on their server? I've considered switching to it but I don't like their official APK distributions.

I haven't seen any evidence to indicate that alternative clients are supported or even tolerated. I don't think Signal will start blocking custom clients, but I don't think the Signal project will aid or cooperate with any development of an alternative client.

> I don't think Signal will start blocking custom clients

Bridging Signal to Matrix has been notoriously difficult because Signal is actively hostile to all non-official clients.

So yeah. Open source, but no open values was gained from that.

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#136

Post by seebye »

t0astbread wrote: post #132

Not 100% on-topic since this is designed for ephemeral use but what is Signal's general stance towards forks on their server? I've considered switching to it but I don't like their official APK distributions.

They don't tolerate third party clients. See: https://github.com/LibreSignal/LibreSignal/issues/37#issueco...

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#138

Post by tptacek »

seebye wrote: post #136
t0astbread wrote: post #132

Not 100% on-topic since this is designed for ephemeral use but what is Signal's general stance towards forks on their server? I've considered switching to it but I don't like their official APK distributions.

They don't tolerate third party clients. See: https://github.com/LibreSignal/LibreSignal/issues/37#issueco...

They can't; part of the premise of the project is that they come up with privacy advances that are deployed network-wide by controlling both the client and the server. See Matrix for an example of how hard it is to get very basic privacy controls up and running when you don't control the client.

(I always come across sounding like I'm dunking on Matrix; I like Matrix. Different project, different goals.)

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#139

Post by godelski »

robjan wrote: post #3

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.

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.

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#140

Post by godelski »

mhaymo wrote: post #94
robjan wrote: post #3

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.

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

The fork is from Johanw666 not Signal. Johan's fork has additional changes in it, such as ignoring deletes.
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