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Hi friends,

I'm new to Lemmy but I think I like where it is heading in general. I would like to ask, do you have any specific apps used for ?

As a community that seems more focused on decentralized platforms, I thought this could spike up an interesting discussion

I have been using mainly Viber and FB messenger. I did try to convince friends and family to move over to simpleXchat, as it seems the most privacy focused alternative I have found, but basically failed.

I would love to hear your input!

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[-] Kovu@lemmy.world 53 points 1 year ago
[-] somedaysoon@lemmy.world 19 points 1 year ago

I dropped it when they decided to get rid of SMS. I don't want to be treated like I can't be trusted to be responsible for my own privacy and security. I understand the difference between an SMS and an encrypted Signal message and was fully aware of which contacts had Signal and which did not have it.

In my opinion they should have disabled SMS by default and made it an option with warnings to enable in the settings. They had already been doing borderline questionable things with crypto and the stories that I did not want in a messenger app... this was the straw that broke the camel's back for me.

I'm patiently waiting for a decent fork of Signal with SMS enabled, or a decent open source RCS client... unfortunately I landed on Google Messages for now.

[-] krash@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I belive the reason why SMS was dropped was because of the unreliable interaction between two endpoints: If you're communicating with a contact over RCS in Google messages, and you'd send them a message over signal- they'd receive an SMS. But throttling reply would be over RCS and signal wouldn't be able to display that since there isn't an open API for signal to interact with RCS messages. So the whole reason to drop SMS support was due to inconsistencies of how messages in androids would be handled.

[-] masterspace@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Basically, Signal could have implemented RCS messaging themselves, making them the de facto iMessage replacement on Android, but they chose not to so that their devs could instead spend their time building NFTs into their platform or whatever the next shiny bauble is.

I still use Signal for lack of a credible alternative but dropping SMS support in favour of NFTs and Stories was fucking dumb. They need to focus on being the best messaging platform first, then focus on expanding into other markets and functionality.

[-] KLISHDFSDF@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

Signal could have implemented RCS messaging themselves

That would have been great, except Google doesn't provide an API for developers to use RCS in their own apps like they did with SMS. Google's basically forcing everyone (long term) into their messaging app, which I suspect will eventually be the "iMessage" of Android since there wont be any alternative "texting" apps.

[-] phluko@lemmy.ml 34 points 1 year ago

I use Signal kinda exclusively. Managed to migrate my friends and family away from WhatsApp a few years back (I am living in Europe).

[-] iwannet@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago

How did you do it ? I cant get them to migrate.

[-] ImFresh3x@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 year ago

I just started selling them drugs, and told them we use signal now.

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[-] racketlauncher831@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

To be real, getting someone to change their habit is near impossible and when that happens, just send them SMS.

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[-] tubbadu@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Managed to migrate my friends and family away from WhatsApp

Please tell my how I beg you

[-] jonuno@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago
  1. Uninstall WhatsApp
  2. Family+friends will get notification that you left in every group you were in, and lose their shit. They will call you asking wtf is happening
  3. Try to calm the waters by telling them you found out Meta is a bad company and you don't want to participate it
  4. Get confusing looks and asked wtf is wrong with you
  5. Try to divert the complexity of the subject by mentioning that they can just download Signal and reach you there
  6. Get scoffed and manage to get one or two nearest friends on your Signal app
  7. Still get contacted by everyone's else on whatsapp and by your grandmother on FB messenger , although you ain't there
  8. Sucessfully managed to keep your 2 contacts on Signal and even see it growing to 4 over a year.
  9. Wait till Signal fucks up, delete it, install SimpleX, start over again
[-] tubbadu@lemmy.kde.social 3 points 1 year ago

In about ~20y I should be able to convert all my friends away from Whatsapp then!

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[-] MacroCyclo@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago

My brother got everyone to switch from FB messenger to WhatsApp and then FB bought whatsapp and prompted a second switch to signal

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[-] Rain@lm.melonbread.dev 17 points 1 year ago

Elements (Matrix) as much as much as possible. I bridge a lot services through it. Though Signal would be the second most.

[-] GlowingLantern@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago

With bridges, it's truly the one app to rule them all.

[-] mintiefresh@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 year ago

I wish more people in my life would use Signal but I've given up on converting people from WhatsApp.

I pretty much just use everything. my messaging folder has Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, SMS, etc lol.

[-] Lewistrick@feddit.nl 15 points 1 year ago

Whatsapp is the norm here so I begrudgingly use that. Wish more people were on Signal, Matrix or Telegram.

[-] CAPSLOCKFTW@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

You can apparently bridge Whatsapp and Matrix. I have looked into it for a few evenings but got nothing running despite having some experience with self hosting stuff. It was a while ago though.

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[-] Jomn@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 year ago

I mainly use Signal, but sometimes have to fall back to SMS for people that aren't on Signal. I also have matrix accounts, but I never really use them since I don't have anyone among my friends and family that uses matrix.

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[-] JustADirtyLurker@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago

I tried to migrate friends and family to Signal a couple of years back. Only managed with 3 people :/.

Unfortunately here (Italy), WhatsApp is too much widespread as reach out method now. Especially for businesses, from restaurants to, say, the family doctor.

[-] archchan@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago

Signal. I refuse to use whatsapp even though that's what most people I know use.

[-] bigbox@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 year ago

Signal is my go to. Some of my friends refuse to download it, so I just text them. I'll use iMessage on iOS and Google Messages on Android. But if I can use Signal, I will

[-] Barroux@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

I use Signal!

[-] heeplr@feddit.de 8 points 1 year ago

Delta Chat is awesome encrypted/secure messaging via imap and thus compatible with anyone who has an email address.

Conversations is an excellent XMPP client.

[-] massacre@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

Element (Matrix)

[-] shgr@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 1 year ago

Signal and WhatsApp. WhatsApp only because a lot of people won't switch to Signal (or Threema, or Matrix).

[-] timedin@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)
  • Signal,
  • Whatsapp only for groups on a free prepaid Number nobody knows, on a 2nd phone bridge to matrix.
  • Threema for 1Person ;)
  • remaining via SMS.
[-] carzian@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

How'd you get the free prepaid number?

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[-] Ekis@beehaw.org 7 points 1 year ago

I use Cinny. It's a desktop app for Matrix.

[-] Arcaneslime@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 year ago

XMPP (with omemeo) is the classic (and also what FB messenger uses behind the scenes, without omemo), Matrix is the new kid on the block taking over. Both are decentralized sorta like the fediverse (but separate from said fediverse.)

Used to use Signal, but they're removing SMS support so everyone might as well switch to matrix. Wickr was bought by amazon (and they say they won't ruin it, riiiight), so that's out. Idk enough about briar or session, and telegram isn't as secure as people seem to think.

[-] allforthebest@infosec.pub 6 points 1 year ago

The most secure app I know is SimpleX. It is like Matrix but without an identifier, so you really interacting only with people you want. No one can reach you unless you gave him a link to connect to you.

Two different people cannot be ensured they are talking to the same person since there is no identifier they can compare to.

[-] copylefty@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago

Signal and Telegram

[-] jonuno@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago

Waiting on SimpleX to have desktop client and sync to migrate from Signal. Meanwhile Molly and all the major platforms sadly

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[-] vegetarian_pacemaker@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

unfortunately it is whatsapp.. Had everyone move to signal, but it didn't last :(

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[-] entropicshart@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Has anyone tried using Revolt or Spacebar? Kind of curious how well those work. I have been thinking of setting up something other than Discord for friends and family.

[-] dan@startrek.website 4 points 1 year ago

๐Ÿ˜† I'd have to have friends to talk to to use a messaging app.

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[-] CanOpener@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago

For your friends and family, Signal is probably the best. It's simple to use and set up, unlike SimpleX which some might have trouble with. For people who refuse to switch, iMessage.

[-] Bongles@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

Telegram, most of my family/friends use iphones but I use android, so I convinced them to use telegram so we can send videos, gifs, pictures, etc.

[-] Aninjanameddaryll@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 year ago

Eh, mostly sms and telegram.

The only people I care about use sms, and I've convinced them to use telegram for thighs sms can't do, like file sharing.

I have and use matrix for specific tasks, and I got suckered into discord for gaming and reddit. But neither get used much nowadays. There's one discord server I stay vaguely active on because internet friends use it. Post reddit implosion, the matrix isn't very useful since they were for mod chats and I'm only modding one sub until the end of the month, and that's mostly solo (no need for chats lol)

[-] jacktherippah@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Element for that one friend who's also privacy conscious Telegram, Discord and Facebook Messenger (yuck) for everyone else.

[-] Dazawassa@programming.dev 3 points 1 year ago

I'm only Discord at this point. Over time I've just wanted to stay within a select few platforms for mental health and security. I would move to Matrix but most people I know are on Discord. But I still have an account there incase anyone wants to contact me.

[-] scott@lem.free.as 5 points 1 year ago

Setup Matrix and add a bridge for Discord.

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[-] Naratetama@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

WhatsApp and Telegram.

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this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2023
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