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kuon parent
As long as I need a phone to use those, they are not a solution.
noman-land
It depends on your threat model. Since WhatsApp also requires a phone, Signal is the superior option and therefor a solution to using WhatsApp.
CactusRocket
Also depends on where you're coming from. My friends use WhatsApp and I don't because of privacy considerations. If they switch to Signal, I might still not use it because they want my phone number (and their servers are centralized, owned by one organization). So for them, amongst each-other, it would be fine to all switch to Signal probably. But for those of us who have been avoiding it altogether so far, it might not change anything whatsoever.
pcthrowaway
> and their servers are centralized, owned by one organization

For what it's worth, everything about signal is open source and you can see how little data they can actually collect from you even if they wanted to. I believe they wouldn't be able to start collecting more data by modifying the server code, because the features which prevent them from receiving your info are built into the protocol and the client apps as well.

But since it is open source I suppose it would be possible to run your own server too... I suspect you just wouldn't be able to talk to the same people if you did (you'd effectively be running your own version of signal and that server would do the necessary coordination tasks for you and the other people using it)

CactusRocket
I think in this day and age, it's "fine I guess" that it's set up that way: most services do that. But going forward, I think it's much better if services work in the way that e.g. email and IRC work: decentralized and federated. Nobody can know what will happen with Signal, or the USA in general. We'll be having this whole conversation about switching chat clients again in a couple of years. Whereas with a decentralized service, it doesn't matter. Anyone can build the software, anyone can run a server. Regardless of what happens to the people or organizations behind it.
jraph
You will need a phone number, but you can make it work without a phone.

signal-cli lets you register from a computer. If you have a modem in your computer, you can use this to receive the confirmation SMS. A friend also managed to register a landline (I think the phone received a code through a voice message).

gitaarik
Then use Session:

https://getsession.org/

tasuki
I got shouted at for recommending it. Something about cryptography they're doing wrong.

Wonderful UX though: account unlocked by seed phrase which you can note down and easily transfer between devices.

just-ok
Signal has a desktop app. Unless you mean phone number, in which case I get where you’re coming from, though I think they allow just usernames now.
barbazoo
Usernames are only for discoverability. You still need a phone number.
CactusRocket
You need to install the phone app to be able to activate it. If you've been offline on the desktop app for too long, you need the phone app again to re-active the desktop app. I've also noticed a lot of issues synchronizing messages between computers using the desktop app, without having the app on a phone.

They allow usernames as an alternative to sharing your phone number with other people. You still need a phone number (and the phone app) to create and activate an account.

It's very phone-first.

f1shy
I have just learn about delta chat. Uses mail. Seems good.

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