Hacker News Reader

I should use this as a strong argument for the rest of my no-please-not-another-instant-messenger-i-stay-with-whatsapp-contacts:

When whatsapp is implementing the signal protocol, why should one use whatsapp in the first place?[1]

I hope this good advertisement gives signal another round of traction.

[1] Ok, you've got me. The less techie contacts will swing the feature-bat and the other already use signal.

View on HN

"Normal" people will not have their choice of messenger swayed by any argument that uses the word "protocol".

Point taken. If I talk to "normal" people, I wouldn't use the word "protocol" neither (or at least not as conversation starter). Normal-people-rephrased it's more like

"When whatsapp take the fundamental core from signal..."

can Signal be used to contact people on Whatsapp?

As far as I know: no. Whatsapp just implemented the (open source) signal protocol formerly known as Axolotl with the help of Open Whisper Systems. The rest of the IM "ecosystem" (like push notifications, contact recognition, server infrastructure etc.) is left untouched.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com