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Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

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Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#51

Post by MattJ100 »

w1nk wrote: post #35
notorandit wrote: post #30

What went wrong with XMPP and federated servers?

XMPP never got its story together for mobile clients. Sure there are some configurations of XEPs that will eventually allow you a reasonable configuration that supports multi device, history, media, etc, but for whatever reason, gluing those pieces together into something sane has evaded our community.

> for whatever reason, gluing those pieces together into something sane has evaded our community.

Actually this is exactly what Snikket is doing: https://snikket.org/about/goals

But in fact most servers are mobile friendly, and have been for many years. You can dig into the data at https://compliance.conversations.im/ (Conversations being the leading mobile XMPP client).

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#52

Post by mikro2nd »

jsiepkes wrote: post #24

Can someone explain to me what use case I'm missing? Why do people care about old messages? Personally I just read incoming message and never "scroll back".

Personally I read messages, keep them only long enough to take action (when that's necessary) and then delete them. I don't want my brain cluttered by dozens/hundreds/thousands of ancient, no-longer-relevant messages. Furthermore, when the blackshirts come to get you, it's your own old messages they'll use to hang you. Get rid of them, I say.

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#53

Post by est31 »

Semaphor wrote: post #6
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.

That’s essentially what this is. You install it to migrate, then you remove it again and install the original Signal app, as per the steps in the repo. I would guess it was easier (or even only possible) this way.

Yeah it's probably already hard enough to expect the average phone user to know how to (un)install apps. But expecting them to know which directory the file is in and is supposed to go into? Way harder.

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#54

Post by john4532452 »

teekert wrote: post #17

Fascinating and it sounds doable to me. However, not to my mother in law and most other people I know, which is the group that would require a method like this, but then it should be much easier.

This same argument is made over and over in many threds. I don't understand why this is so hard to understand. Even mobiles and social media were totally new to the older generation but they got used to it. How is this any different ?

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#55

Post by shilgapira »

forgingahead wrote: post #23

Is there a way to get the Whatsapp messages on iOS? Years ago they were accessible via a sqlite DB, but it's been ages since I did it, and I can't find any online resources about this other than people shilling dodgy .exe apps.

You can export your message history for every chat, I believe including photos and videos. Just need to go to the Group Info screen and then scroll all the way to the bottom.

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#57

Post by dspillett »

jsiepkes wrote: post #24

Can someone explain to me what use case I'm missing? Why do people care about old messages? Personally I just read incoming message and never "scroll back".

> Why do people care about old messages?

Example from recent days: "what was [friend]'s postal address again, I didn't copy it over to contacts, search for address, there it is".

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#58

Post by umanghere »

forgingahead wrote: post #23

Is there a way to get the Whatsapp messages on iOS? Years ago they were accessible via a sqlite DB, but it's been ages since I did it, and I can't find any online resources about this other than people shilling dodgy .exe apps.

You can still pull the database from an iOS backup on your Mac or created from `idevicebackup2`.

The file is named `1b6b187a1b60b9ae8b720c79e2c67f472bab09c0`, `275ee4a160b7a7d60825a46b0d3ff0dcdb2fbc9d`, or `7c7fba66680ef796b916b067077cc246adacf01d`.

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#59

Post by Lopiolis »

tomatocracy wrote: post #45
eloisant wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It isn't harder to use than Whatsapp. It's actually simpler, because it has less useless bells and whistles. All you need to do is convince them that it's for their good, if they can agree on that then the technicality isn't difficult.

There are a few areas which are harder to use like backups. I suspect one of the most difficult to address is getting it to successfully evade the random vendor-built aggressive battery saving settings in Android. WhatsApp is usually whitelisted from those so "just works". If you don't do similar things for Signal, it will stop picking messages up/notifying you after a day or two of inactivity.

The backup issue makes Signal infeasible for me to suggest to family/friends as a serious alternative. It's just not up for discussion. People care about preserving their chat histories and I'm not about to put myself in a position where I'm at fault when that stuff goes lost because something or other. There's a lot of sentimental value there that is non-negotiable.

Unfortunately, that leaves me with ... nothing to recommend people switch to.

Re: Signal Fork with WhatsApp Migration

#60

Post by koolba »

rob74 wrote: post #28
edent wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I sent the link to my elderly parents. They both installed it on their Android without a problem. Then I received a video call from my mum - she'd installed the desktop app by herself. So, get better parents?

That has always been one of the secrets of success: choose your parents wisely...

You joke, but the real world version of that exists and involves children and divorce proceedings.
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