I loaded it up and declined to let it access my contacts, but unfortunately it seems like it won't let me attempt to send any messages. I just get a screen that always says "None of your contacts have Signal!"
From what I understand, the reason it wants access to my contacts is to make it easier for me to find out which of my friends already use Signal or TextSecure. But none of my friends use these apps, and my goal is to get them to start. Unfortunately they'll refuse to use it if I have to tell them "Well, you'll need to let Signal upload all of your contacts to their server."
I was hoping for the ability to send a message by typing in a phone number directly. Does anyone know if this is possible? If not, would it be possible to add this feature?
Maybe it could work like this: You tap "new message" and then type in a phone number, just like how regular text messages normally work. Then when you're finished typing in the phone number, the app checks with Signal's server to find out whether that number uses Signal. If that number doesn't use Signal, then the app pops up a message saying "Your friend doesn't seem to be using Signal."
That way I can ask my friends to install Signal and send me a message. When they load up the app for the first time and Signal asks to access their contacts, they can click "no" and then type in my phone number directly.
It seems like many people won't be comfortable letting Signal upload all of their contacts, so unless there's some way to call or send a message by typing in a phone number directly, those people won't start using Signal. I'll have a hard time convincing my friends to use it without this.