I built an iMessage bot using Beeper • Hacker News Board

Re: I built an iMessage bot using Beeper

#51

Post by charcircuit » Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 2:41 AM UTC

jsmith99 wrote: post #35

ghostly_s wrote: post #32

I don't see why anyone would expect this closed-beta product to not get blacklisted by Apple as soon as it gains any mainstream traction.

The disadvantage of not offering an API for iMessage is that there is no easy way to block clients. Apps like Bluebubbles have to work by being installed on an actual Mac and scraping messages from iMessage and Beeper uses a similar architecture[0]. Presumably they have a data centre full of actual macs (or VMs). [0] https://github.com/mautrix/imessage

>that there is no easy way to block clients

Sure there is. Remove the client from the app store. They could even remotely uninstall the clients if they wanted.

>Presumably they have a data centre full of actual macs (or VMs).

Apple could ban every single one of those machines from imessage.

Re: I built an iMessage bot using Beeper

#52

Post by chubs » Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 2:49 AM UTC

Makhram wrote: post #12

Unfortunately, I had to quit using Beeper a few days ago. Ever since they migrated to their new hungryserv, iMessage reliability has gotten steadily worse and worse. It culminated in an entire day of sending iMessages where Beeper gave them all a delivered checkmark... But none of them actually reached their recipients. Was fun explaining to people who were angry I hadn't messaged them back in over a day... I'm back…

Sounds suspiciously like apple is gradually blacklisting the serial numbers of the macs they use to send the iMessages (love to be wrong about this).

Re: I built an iMessage bot using Beeper

#53

Post by SaulJLH » Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 3:16 AM UTC

andwaal wrote: post #19

I have been using Beeper for 6 months or so now. In the start it had some bugs, but now they are more and more rare (I don't use iMessages). Overall an amazing product, with what seems like a very active and product team behind which constants pushes out new updates. Highly recommended 10/10!

Just don't be too critical, or exasperated... They'll quickly categorise it as rude/disrespectful. Ignore any & all contribution, refund, & then bump you in an instant. And they'll do all this in a ham-fisted & egotistical/condescending way. My experience of their culture, is it doesn't bode well LT.

Re: I built an iMessage bot using Beeper

#54

Post by jnmeehan » Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 3:52 AM UTC

There is in fact a REST API for iMessage https://register.apple.com/resources/messages/msp-rest-api/

Re: I built an iMessage bot using Beeper

#55

Post by Brajeshwar » Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 3:53 AM UTC

Is Beeper like the once super-messaging app Adium[1]?

Do Beeper not use Apple's iCloud App-Password?

Can one not just download and use Beeper[2] without creating an account?

1. https://adium.im

2. https://www.beeper.com

Re: I built an iMessage bot using Beeper

#56

Post by zwilliamson » Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 3:55 AM UTC

tylermenezes wrote: post #34

smt88 wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd switch in a second, but you can't use iMessage without giving Beeper your iCloud password. That's a dealbreaker for me. I wonder if they'll offer a self-hosted option at some point.

Last I knew you could TECHNICALLY self-host everything but with little documentation on how to set it up.

Yes. Self-host using this Ansible playbook has been a joy.

https://github.com/spantaleev/matrix-docker-ansible-deploy

A top notch well managed Ansible setup!

It hasn’t integrated in a good iMessage bridge yet last I checked. Hopefully soon!

Re: I built an iMessage bot using Beeper

#57

Post by simfree » Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 4:28 AM UTC

jnmeehan wrote: post #54

There is in fact a REST API for iMessage https://register.apple.com/resources/messages/msp-rest-api/

What you linked to is Apple Messages for Business. Individuals will not be approved for using this product, the costs are noteworthy for businesses that are approved, and live, human staffing for escalations is required on a daily basis.

There is no ability to send messages to a phone number registered with iMessage either.

Re: I built an iMessage bot using Beeper

#58

Post by yoavm » Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 7:26 AM UTC

I have my own Matrix & Bridges setup (just like Beeper but with too much maintenance). It's super easy to write bots that you can then hook into Signal, WhatsApp etc, because essentially you only need to talk to your Matrix server, and the bridges take care of the rest. Talking to Matrix is easy - there's a straightforward HTTP API.

The other day I connected the matrix-chatgpt-bot (https://github.com/matrixgpt/matrix-chatgpt-bot) with WhatsApp - it was very funny to see how people reacted.

Re: I built an iMessage bot using Beeper

#59

Post by reportgunner » Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 8:19 AM UTC

What's the problem with using literally any other chat protocol that is not iMessage that have supported trivial chat bots for the past decade ?

Does Apple make chats that are not iMessage hard to use ?

Re: I built an iMessage bot using Beeper

#60

Post by pimeys » Thu, Mar 30, 2023, 11:02 AM UTC

jacooper wrote: post #44

Beeper is just matrix + bridges, everything is open source except the client itself, which is a very big feature because element, the biggest element client is kinda crap.

Their client is nowadays better than any other Matrix client I've used. You can now even start chats from it to Signal, Whatsapp, Telegram etc. networks you've connected into.

They just upgraded their server into their own system, written in Go. Before that they used Dendrite which is open source. I think they also rewrote all their bridges recently.