Would kill for the desktop version of this. This team is the gold standard of cryptographically secured messaging; what Colin Percival's Tarsnap is for backup, Whisper is for communications.
Congrats on the new release.
Congrats on the new release.
While TextSecure still only has 100k+ installs on Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.thoughtcri...
Despite Telegrams known crypto failures: http://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/1yrv46/after_gettin...
Hopefully iOS and Desktop clients help TextSecure take off and beat out the weak crypto apps. Multi-platform is critical these days for messaging apps.
We really need to encourage folks to use these genuinely secure messaging apps rather encryption fairy dust like Telegram
Edit: Oh, I see. Added as a silent feature in 10.2 messaging app. There is no visible indication that secure communication is happening (or possible). Ok. Better than nothing, and a good default.
Mainly that "seamless" migration between SMS and data channelled messaging is not something I want to happen because SMS costs me a fortune on my plan, whereas low-volume data costs me nothing.
To that end, the options for the TS process during setup should make it clearer how data charges/SMS charges will be racked up, and indicate accordingly.
But there's no way to tell at the most important moment - when this new thing is being put in front of me, and claiming to do things with a service that has a usage charge to me.
It would be much better if SMS defaulted to off, it was made clear what it was, and SMS Push added as a "would you like to?" option instead.
Telegram's been around close to a year or so now. They are an established mainstream app and they look like an obvious "WhatsApp replacement" if one is looking for one. Far fewer people are looking for a secure IM app per se, so your numbers aren't really that surprising. Regrettably, unwashed gray masses don't give a flying f#ck about quality of the crypto, so TS doing crypto better is not a tangible conversion benefit.
Just because you disagree with one datapoint doesn't mean you can't compare them.
but i found that use it to transparently send sms when needed super confusing to people.
people don't want to use sms. if they did they would just use that instead.
in cyanogenmod it's even more confusing. cyanogenmod integrated it to their base system, but you have no way of knowing if the text message you just sent is really encrypted or not (unless the other party tells you since he's running textsecure), i'm guessing/hoping that'll improve though
In either case, TextSecure works, so...
A few months ago I thought about using Threema and the like, but realized nobody's gonna switch with me. So I stayed. Didn't even try to convince anyone.
The day after FB bought WA my non-tech, not-concerned-about-NSA friends started to switch to Threema. On their own. Because Facebook.
Heck, they were even discussing all that on Facebook, as far as I know... that's irony.
So now most people I regularly chat with are on Threema.
And while I don't trust them (especially their competence -- although using NaCL is a good start) nearly as much as I trust Moxie, this issue is closed now. Nobody is going to move again without a very good reason.
The two people I regularly chat with still on WA can't use Threema, because they are still on Android 2.3.
But Threema really needs multi-device IDs. And the ability to change a group's composition. Other than that it's cool. You feel right at home, the emoticons look the same (from the same lib, I guess). And this whole "scan the other guy's public key" is not just a good idea, it's even close to gamification ("only two more people until everyone's green!").
And that's why I don't believe in some meaningful market share for Whispersystems. They are virtually unknown in non-tech circles. They still don't have an iOS app. Yes, I know, there were more important things up to now.
Still, the window of opportunity is closing. In three weeks no "normal" person is going to switch messaging service anymore. Everyone either stays at WhatsApp, or has already agreed with their whole circle of friends on another service.
It's going to be hard going to reflow the already interconnected with this. Wish it wasn't so.
...TextSecure is an SMS replacement. Your contact list is your contact list.
Does nobody you know receive SMS messages?
Of course I can still send unencrypted text messages. Are you trolling me?
Is a desktop version in the cards?
EDIT: Yes, yes I can't read :D
Anything that is not public key encrypted must be considered unencrypted.
https://github.com/WhisperSystems/TextSecure/wiki/ProtocolV2 https://www.whispersystems.org/blog/advanced-ratcheting/