Live data from Hacker News

A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth

bitchat.free

111–120 of 353 posts

Re: A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth

#111
post #3

I don't know. I do not like Jack Dorey's involvement. Not a big fan of his. I'd rather use Briar ( https://briarproject.org/ )

I agree, enthusiastically and wholeheartedly. The mere presence of a potentially-cancellable person poisons the entire tech stach, regardless of any other merits. If I were to use such technology I would risk becoming morally tainted by JD's potential-objectionableness, a social risk I am entirely unwilling to take. I simply cannot endorse such technology that is not fully sanctioned by the High Table of Moral Certification & Transactional Stamp Duty. I must therefore distance myself from any such endorsements and withdraw my support regardless of whatever so-called "technological" merits such technology may claim.

Please view my participation in this discussion as certified proof of the objective verification of my moral essence. I hereby claim superiority now and forever over JD and any such users of said technologies. Sincerely and respectfully (without any possible hints of objectionableness), the undersigned.

Re: A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth

#112
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There’s no app for Apple platforms making it a lot less useful.

Apple pulled similar apps from the App Store: https://www.npr.org/2019/10/10/768841864/after-china-objects...

Similar? Very different. The HKmap.live app was build and marketed directly for the protests. It tracked social media and geolocated where the police and protests were happening, etc. This is a big distinction.

Re: A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth

#113
post #77
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of these bluetooth messaging app was made by a developer who was on a cruise ship with family, and the Internet over satellite costs an arm and leg. So he wrote an app to communicate with his families over bluetooth. Also why would one want to have the data go over some servers thousands miles away when the device is right next to you? Seems like bluetooth is the perfect way to communicate for devices that are cl…

Yeah I can imagine a jam-packed cruise ship might be useful provided the signal propagates from deck to another (unlikely), but it's quite a niché use case. >Also why would one want to have the data go over some servers thousands miles away when the device is right next to you? Why would that matter? Use Signal to protect the content, or use Cwtch to protect content and metadata. If you need to exchange secret commun…

> Why would that matter?

Reliability? Why should we want to centralize things unnecessarily? It's nice as a fallback but then so too is P2P.

Re: A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth

#114
post #9

Could someone please explain in what situation do you use a BlueTooth messaging app? Like, even BT5 range won't exceed 400 meters. What good is this? You're not going to send images to journalists from protests with it (you'd do wisely to keep it in airplane mode until you get home and then you'd upload them to their securedrop or whatever), and you don't need off-band security to let the kids know it's dinner time.

In Iran right now... Internet shut down while the regime keeps slaughtering people at the order of 4x9/11.

Internet is exploited by US as a tool for regime change [1] in coordination with sponsored on the ground terrorism. [1]

[1] Washington’s War on Iran: The Importance of Defending Information Space https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiJm4zwZZHY

Re: A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth

#117
post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That depends on where your live (and when), but: Protest is the cornerstone of democracy and in general you shouldn't need permission to organize a demonstration. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/can-democracy-exist-witho...

I prefer voting. I find protests annoying. They're a good way for people to let off steam, hang out with friends, get photos for the international press etc. but they're not the right mechanism for finding out what the people want. They're definitely effective when most of the country wants the government out, but by that point a vote would certainly do just as well, and with fewer flying bricks.

Protests can serve as an implied threat if the government is gaming the election process. They're certainly preferable to a riot or a coup attempt in that scenario.

They also serve to draw attention to issues that aren't showing up on the ballot for whatever reason. The system doesn't always work in an ideal way. To that end protests are supposed to be annoying to those who don't care.

Re: A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth

#118
post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is your implication? This app is not for talking across the globe with people.

but the internet is for talking to people across the globe. and the app presents itself as an alternative for internet based apps. the reality is however that in any place where i can't use the internet, this app does not really solve that problem. it is only useful in situations where in most cases the alternative is talking face to face. it's not any situation where the internet can't be used, but just some of them…

The Internet is _not_ for talking to people across the globe. The Internet allows that, but not only that - one can have a Whatsapp chat with someone in the same bus, this is both legal and technically possible. The bitchat app serves the niche where talking face to face is not an option and talking across the globe is not needed. And the app explicitly states "infrastructure independence" as one of its design goals: "the network remains functional during internet outages", which cannot be served by internet-based apps by design.

Re: A decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application that operates over Bluetooth

#120
post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That depends on where your live (and when), but: Protest is the cornerstone of democracy and in general you shouldn't need permission to organize a demonstration. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/can-democracy-exist-witho...

I prefer voting. I find protests annoying. They're a good way for people to let off steam, hang out with friends, get photos for the international press etc. but they're not the right mechanism for finding out what the people want. They're definitely effective when most of the country wants the government out, but by that point a vote would certainly do just as well, and with fewer flying bricks.

Everyone prefers voting.. But to be able to vote, a vote must be happening. Protests are sometimes the only way to make a vote happen in the first place.

They are also a good communication tool for the world to see what the people are struggling with.

Post reply on HN