I can't use Signal anymore, by Open Whispersystems' choice, which means I can't easily communicate with a fair number of my friends anymore, and that's apparently just the way it is. Open Whispersystems demands that I let Google have a level of access to my phone I don't want them to have, or they won't let me use Signal. Their proprietary Signal software is the only way to use the Signal service, so I can't just switch to an app whose privacy characteristics might be a better fit for my needs, as no other apps exist.
Am I going to convince everyone I want to communicate with that they should stop using Signal and start using something else? No, I am not, because why would they do that? They're all happily using Signal now, and I'm the odd one out, so I lose. Sure feels a lot like lock-in; I have no good choices here.
Signal is awesome, which is why we want to use it, but then suddenly the user finds they're now inextricably tied to Google or Facebook collecting their metadata - while we know Google themselves have been compromised (technically & legally) and are forced to hand that data over. Notably, to an NSA that has lied to Congress about it's operations, without consequence, and hence is now beyond oversight and reach of regulators too.
Also that the iOS code, which appeared to be free & open, is actually not, because other projects are denied permission to use in a way that's compatible with iOS's App Store). Ironically because the libraries are under GPL. Hey, blame Apple I know, or ourselves for not reading all Apple's T&Cs before promoting Signal, but it's disappointing none-the-less (while also still being OWS's right).
From all their history, the OWS guys seem to really want and be trying to do the right things, within the constraints and trade-offs available to them. The answers aren't trivial, but something about where it's all ended up leaves a very uncomfortable feeling.
And due to their walled garden, you can't do anything to help yourself either.
so much for "open source infrastructure for a centralized network now provides almost the same level of control as federated protocols"
Unless you mean control for Google.
In fact, someone already has, so you can just use it: https://fdroid.eutopia.cz/
See https://github.com/LibreSignal/LibreSignal/issues/37 and discussion upthread.
LibreSignal folks are willing to do the work for removing that dependency on GCM but Signal won't federate with them.
OTOH, moxie does have a point. They've tried federation with Cyanogen and the experience was painful.
So moxie here is claiming to offer the superlative encrypted communication service. On the other hand, he's insisting on a hard dependency that not only compromises privacy, but locks out one of the biggest emerging markets?
Only if you have an Android device with a mobile phone number.
Difficulty: the only hardware I own is my desktop that runs a custom Linux.
If the goal is to fight passive surveillance, it's a bad idea to artificially exclude minority groups. Cell phones may be popular, but they are not universal.
???? This does not even start to make sense to me. The fact you could chat with your friends on ICQ/MSN/FacebookChat/Compuserve/AIM/Yahoo! IM/Prodigy meant you were not locked in?