WhatsApp doesn't understand the web • Hacker News Board

Re: WhatsApp doesn't understand the web

#41

Post by pferde » Thu, Jan 22, 2015, 12:53 PM UTC

tempodox wrote: post #36

soapdog wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

author here. I didn't knew about WeChat since it is not popular here in Brazil. Using a QR to facilitate login is not a bad decision. Having this as the only method to authenticate makes it a bad client because it can't work as a standalone offering. I don't like when "web clients" are not full featured in the sense of allowing registration and login. Look at Evernotes, you can register and use thru the web client in…

Hi, author, I like your article but those animated GIFs are driving me nuts. Please don't make readers also watch a movie at the same time. Thanks.

Seconded. Please stop writing articles that look like they're aimed at 14 year olds.

EDIT: If you feel the need to use cutesy graphics to get your point across, at least make them static. Animated gifs are incredibly distracting when trying to read anything more involved than a tweet, or a silly meme macro.

Re: WhatsApp doesn't understand the web

#42

Post by giancarlostoro » Thu, Jan 22, 2015, 12:55 PM UTC

ramonck wrote: post #37

Heck, let's just go back to Skype! :)

Skype has some security issues that have yet to be resolved and knowing Microsoft's history with MSN Messenger, issues that will likely never be resolved. Also it is plenty unstable under Linux, sadly. I've found Viber to be easiest, only gotcha is you need it on your phone first before you use it elsewhere. Otherwise it's pretty spot on. It also looks and feels the same across platforms.

Re: WhatsApp doesn't understand the web

#43

Post by lumberjack » Thu, Jan 22, 2015, 12:55 PM UTC

manion wrote: post #30

The web app gets approval from Snowden ( http://www.bestvpnservice.com/blog/why-you-should-use-whatsa... ) Great marketing!

It's proprietary and owned by Facebook. If that doesn't scare you away, nothing will.

Re: WhatsApp doesn't understand the web

#44

Post by dangrover » Thu, Jan 22, 2015, 12:56 PM UTC

eatonphil wrote: post #3

To be fair, the WeChat desktop client also requires that you scan a QR code from your smartphone to log in. I'm not defending WeChat, but it doesn't seem like the author knows WhatsApp is not alone there.

PM on the WeChat desktop client here! Lots of users say this, but has been pointed out, has security/architecture implications. Let me know if you have any other suggestions!

Re: WhatsApp doesn't understand the web

#45

Post by dangrover » Thu, Jan 22, 2015, 12:56 PM UTC

eatonphil wrote: post #3

To be fair, the WeChat desktop client also requires that you scan a QR code from your smartphone to log in. I'm not defending WeChat, but it doesn't seem like the author knows WhatsApp is not alone there.

PM on the WeChat desktop client here! Lots of users say this, but has been pointed out, has security/architecture implications. Let me know if you have any other suggestions!

Re: WhatsApp doesn't understand the web

#46

Post by pferde » Thu, Jan 22, 2015, 12:57 PM UTC

jhasse wrote: post #34

snitko wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. This is outrageous. The only decent chat app these days is Telegram, really. Even they still want you to use your phone to log in (but only once). But I guess that's the way it is for now. Frankly, I hope those apps will all be gone and forgotten in favor of an actual open sourced, widely used protocol. Or maybe they'd incorporate one. But in any case, I think it's a shame that when email is decentralized, c…

Telegram's protocol is open source.

If they do not allow me to run my own server, I'll pass.

Re: WhatsApp doesn't understand the web

#47

Post by ddeck » Thu, Jan 22, 2015, 1:00 PM UTC

sschueller wrote: post #23

iagooar wrote: post #14

I just don't get it. What is so difficult about providing a one-time authentication through the user's phone? Just open Whatsapp on the smartphone, get a token, put your phone number and token and voilà! I mean, there have been web chats for decades now, so I don't understand why they invented such a messed up set of constraints. Besides, am I the only one who suspects that Whatsapp is boycotting Apple? They needed a…

Exactly, Telegram figured it out and it works fine.

Telegram store your message and conversation history on their servers, whereas Whatsapp run somewhat like SMS - they pass your message on to the destination and then forget about it.

Clearly every point in the chain matters, but it always surprised me that a company that puts so much emphasis on security and privacy thinks it's a good idea to keep your messages in the cloud:

"Unlike WhatsApp, Telegram is cloud-based and heavily encrypted. As a result, you can access your messages from several devices at once"[1]

[1] https://telegram.org/faq

Re: WhatsApp doesn't understand the web

#48

Post by venomsnake » Thu, Jan 22, 2015, 1:03 PM UTC

k-mcgrady wrote: post #21

iagooar wrote: post #14

I just don't get it. What is so difficult about providing a one-time authentication through the user's phone? Just open Whatsapp on the smartphone, get a token, put your phone number and token and voilà! I mean, there have been web chats for decades now, so I don't understand why they invented such a messed up set of constraints. Besides, am I the only one who suspects that Whatsapp is boycotting Apple? They needed a…

>> "Besides, am I the only one who suspects that Whatsapp is boycotting Apple?" I understand the theory but all this does is hurt them. They need as many people as possible using there app for it be useful. They're also owned by Facebook who update all their apps weekly.

Facebook made the "Brilliant" move to remove the chat functionality from their app. So I am forced to use the mobile site of facebook ...

Re: WhatsApp doesn't understand the web

#49

Post by TillE » Thu, Jan 22, 2015, 1:13 PM UTC

ddeck wrote: post #47

sschueller wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly, Telegram figured it out and it works fine.

Telegram store your message and conversation history on their servers, whereas Whatsapp run somewhat like SMS - they pass your message on to the destination and then forget about it. Clearly every point in the chain matters, but it always surprised me that a company that puts so much emphasis on security and privacy thinks it's a good idea to keep your messages in the cloud: "Unlike WhatsApp, Telegram is cloud-based…

There's absolutely nothing wrong with putting your encrypted data anywhere and everywhere, as long as you are the only one who has the encryption key.

Unfortunately, it sounds like that's not what Telegram is doing with its non-"secret" messages.

Re: WhatsApp doesn't understand the web

#50

Post by ponyous » Thu, Jan 22, 2015, 1:17 PM UTC

venomsnake wrote: post #48

k-mcgrady wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> "Besides, am I the only one who suspects that Whatsapp is boycotting Apple?" I understand the theory but all this does is hurt them. They need as many people as possible using there app for it be useful. They're also owned by Facebook who update all their apps weekly.

Facebook made the "Brilliant" move to remove the chat functionality from their app. So I am forced to use the mobile site of facebook ...

On what platform are you? Is there no Messenger for it? (Maybe I'm missing the point)