On a personal note...I've tried Signal many, many times over the years. The mobile-first approach was always a massive turn-off for me. I like platforms like Telegram where my phone could straight...
On a personal note...I've tried Signal many, many times over the years. The mobile-first approach was always a massive turn-off for me. I like platforms like Telegram where my phone could straight up be smashed to bits and I could still chat with my contacts from other devices. I suppose it's ok as a replacement for SMS, but it's not really a good chat application, imo.
I've commented on Reddit before about how much I really don't like the Matrix ecosystem (and especially dislike Riot/Element) as it is today. Cautiously optimistic about Dendrite and Conduit...
I've commented on Reddit before about how much I really don't like the Matrix ecosystem (and especially dislike Riot/Element) as it is today. Cautiously optimistic about Dendrite and Conduit (gitlab mirror) for the server-side, but I don't see anything very promising on the client-side.
Edit: I realize it's likely easier for me to copy and paste my Reddit comment here.
Dear readers: apologies in advance for the harshness of this message, but I'm tired of Matrix being hailed as the 3rd coming of Christ everywhere when it's got a lot of improving left to do.
The mobile clients also have awful UX
Riot/Element is one of the worst "applications" I've used in recent history. It's incredibly sluggish (at least in Firefox). Also: what kind of garbage application has media previews but no /collapse?! At least they finally added some more compact layout options? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I really hope something else gets more developed (or Riot/Element improves substantially). I'll continue to avoid the Matrix ecosystem until then.
Not to mention: spinning up an ircd is somehow less of a terrible experience than getting Synapse and federation and everything else up and running. I know there's a replacement to Synapse being developed that hopefully addresses some of the pain points.
I don't know when you last tried Element, but their mobile clients underwent a refresh recently and are much the better for it. Strong agree on the web and desktop clients, though.
I don't know when you last tried Element, but their mobile clients underwent a refresh recently and are much the better for it.
Strong agree on the web and desktop clients, though.
I'll admit that I haven't seen the UX, but I think this is one of the biggest issues facing FOS/privacy software more broadly. A shitty UX means non-CS/IT people won't use it.
I'll admit that I haven't seen the UX, but I think this is one of the biggest issues facing FOS/privacy software more broadly. A shitty UX means non-CS/IT people won't use it.
Admittedly I'm observing a slow but opposite trend. Mastodon is definitely better UX than Twitter. Slowly Peertube is catching up to YouTube. As Facebook keeps bloating up WhatsApp, eventually...
Admittedly I'm observing a slow but opposite trend. Mastodon is definitely better UX than Twitter. Slowly Peertube is catching up to YouTube.
As Facebook keeps bloating up WhatsApp, eventually FLOSS ux will be better.
I think it's a good stand in for iMessage. Signal has a desktop client and provides a secure channel regardless of whether both users have iPhones, so I appreciate that choice.
I think it's a good stand in for iMessage. Signal has a desktop client and provides a secure channel regardless of whether both users have iPhones, so I appreciate that choice.
They're actually working on that. I saw on the AMA they just did on Reddit that they're working on enabling username sign in. I think the only catch is you won't be able to sign in to a new device...
They're actually working on that. I saw on the AMA they just did on Reddit that they're working on enabling username sign in. I think the only catch is you won't be able to sign in to a new device without one of your other devices. But I may be wrong on that. So, good for backup devices / clients, not great for a 'oh shit every message capable device I own is simultaneously destroyed'.
Yeah, I saw they replied: I know Signal moves rather...slow, so I won't be counting on that any time soon, but it's nice to know it's being worked on if nothing else.
If you set up your desktop app, signal does not require your phone to be on or even working, last I checked. You need your phone to initialize it, but afterwards it works without it.
If you set up your desktop app, signal does not require your phone to be on or even working, last I checked. You need your phone to initialize it, but afterwards it works without it.
Interesting. The last time I tried it (admittedly, it's been a very, very long time) you most definitely needed your phone to be on for the feature to work.
Interesting. The last time I tried it (admittedly, it's been a very, very long time) you most definitely needed your phone to be on for the feature to work.
I switched to Signal last year, deleting WhatsApp, Messenger, and Viber in the process. It’s definitely less mature than some other clients, but they’ve been constantly adding new features. The...
I switched to Signal last year, deleting WhatsApp, Messenger, and Viber in the process. It’s definitely less mature than some other clients, but they’ve been constantly adding new features. The latest is the video group calling, which seems to have already had UX updates since it was launched a few weeks ago.
More and more friends are switching over, so it feels like it’ll eventually have almost everyone I care to talk to on it.
On a personal note...I've tried Signal many, many times over the years. The mobile-first approach was always a massive turn-off for me. I like platforms like Telegram where my phone could straight up be smashed to bits and I could still chat with my contacts from other devices. I suppose it's ok as a replacement for SMS, but it's not really a good chat application, imo.
I'd love to use Signal but no one in my immediate family uses mobile phones. So, we use Element instead.
I've commented on Reddit before about how much I really don't like the Matrix ecosystem (and especially dislike Riot/Element) as it is today. Cautiously optimistic about Dendrite and Conduit (gitlab mirror) for the server-side, but I don't see anything very promising on the client-side.
Edit: I realize it's likely easier for me to copy and paste my Reddit comment here.
I don't know when you last tried Element, but their mobile clients underwent a refresh recently and are much the better for it.
Strong agree on the web and desktop clients, though.
I agree that the UX could use a little help.
I'll admit that I haven't seen the UX, but I think this is one of the biggest issues facing FOS/privacy software more broadly. A shitty UX means non-CS/IT people won't use it.
Admittedly I'm observing a slow but opposite trend. Mastodon is definitely better UX than Twitter. Slowly Peertube is catching up to YouTube.
As Facebook keeps bloating up WhatsApp, eventually FLOSS ux will be better.
It might take a decade, but such is the trend.
Agree that barrier to federation is too high.
OTOH, setting up IRC is pretty damn simple, at least for a small group.
Guess what I use daily. 😉
I think it's a good stand in for iMessage. Signal has a desktop client and provides a secure channel regardless of whether both users have iPhones, so I appreciate that choice.
They're actually working on that. I saw on the AMA they just did on Reddit that they're working on enabling username sign in. I think the only catch is you won't be able to sign in to a new device without one of your other devices. But I may be wrong on that. So, good for backup devices / clients, not great for a 'oh shit every message capable device I own is simultaneously destroyed'.
Yeah, I saw they replied:
I know Signal moves rather...slow, so I won't be counting on that any time soon, but it's nice to know it's being worked on if nothing else.
If you set up your desktop app, signal does not require your phone to be on or even working, last I checked. You need your phone to initialize it, but afterwards it works without it.
Interesting. The last time I tried it (admittedly, it's been a very, very long time) you most definitely needed your phone to be on for the feature to work.
I switched to Signal last year, deleting WhatsApp, Messenger, and Viber in the process. It’s definitely less mature than some other clients, but they’ve been constantly adding new features. The latest is the video group calling, which seems to have already had UX updates since it was launched a few weeks ago.
More and more friends are switching over, so it feels like it’ll eventually have almost everyone I care to talk to on it.