Happy #GlobalSwitchDay
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Signal isn't federated; it is decentralized ^[1]^. Though, for all practical purposes, I would generally argue that it's centralized.
::: spoiler References
- Signal-Server. signalapp. Github. Published: 2025-01-31T15:34:14.000Z. Accessed: 2025-02-01T09:24Z. https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Server.
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it’s decentralized
No it’s not. From literally your own comment:
Signal relies on centralized servers
For a decentralized messenger use https://delta.chat
- Signal-Server. signalapp. Github. Published: 2025-01-31T15:34:14.000Z. Accessed: 2025-02-01T09:24Z. https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Server.
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Also an entirely different thing, email is nothing alike to IMs.
How so? Seems like just a slightly different UI for the same thing to me?
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Also an entirely different thing, email is nothing alike to IMs.
E-mail is an excellent protocol for messaging, see delta.chat
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My favourite Dansup line is " It's coming this weekend" not sure when this weekend is supposed to come around tho.
From what I've seen on the loops discord he's about to open source the app and self hosted backend real soon, he's been reaching out for people to set up and test out the server code.
Same with federation, that's not far away, I think he wants to test how the different instances connect to each other first before the wider federation.
He's finally starting to look for coders to help him with the backend and app tho, so that's a good start.
And I really do appreciate that. He's doing some good stuff and really hope pixelfed and loops (and sup) continue on the momentum that they've got and gain a substantial enough Userbase that they're really enjoyable to use. Just wanted to add the extra context because I think that's relevant too!
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Friendly reminder that peertube can expose your IP address.
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And I really do appreciate that. He's doing some good stuff and really hope pixelfed and loops (and sup) continue on the momentum that they've got and gain a substantial enough Userbase that they're really enjoyable to use. Just wanted to add the extra context because I think that's relevant too!
He just really needs to let people help him more, he makes good stuff but it's kinda obvious it's getting a bit much for him sometimes, which is how we ended up with the stuff in your link lol.
A few times I've jumped in to the pixelfed discord before he split loops into its own one and he'd be in some crazy long rant, then you'd see him delete all his messages, dude needs a break or to delegate some of his work to the people who keep asking to help.
Good dude tho, just needs a rest I think, the tik tok thing kinda put some pressure on him to get it going quicker I think.
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it’s decentralized
No it’s not. From literally your own comment:
Signal relies on centralized servers
For a decentralized messenger use https://delta.chat
it’s decentralized
No it’s not. From literally your own comment:
Signal relies on centralized servers
I was using "decentralized" to mean that there isn't centralized control over ownership of the service in general — eg anyone can spin up their own server, and people can use it (making it decentralized, imo), but people who use that server can only use that server (making it not federated). But yes it could still be said to be centralized in that it operates on a client-server model.
This is more an argument of definitions, though. I'm not trying to claim anything in bad faith.
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This should promote matrix, not signal
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Snubbing bluesky is a great way to get people to not take you seriously. When you're making a recruitment thing like this you need to remember you're trying to draw in people who don't fully agree with you.
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it’s decentralized
No it’s not. From literally your own comment:
Signal relies on centralized servers
I was using "decentralized" to mean that there isn't centralized control over ownership of the service in general — eg anyone can spin up their own server, and people can use it (making it decentralized, imo), but people who use that server can only use that server (making it not federated). But yes it could still be said to be centralized in that it operates on a client-server model.
This is more an argument of definitions, though. I'm not trying to claim anything in bad faith.
That’s just open source, not decentralized. I can’t find a definition of decentralization that would even make it vague. From Wikipedia:
Decentralization is the process by which the activities of an organization, particularly those related to planning and decision-making, are distributed or delegated away from a central, authoritative location or group and given to smaller factions within it.
Signal has a central authoritative server and to use it with any other server you have to modify the source code.
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Snubbing bluesky is a great way to get people to not take you seriously. When you're making a recruitment thing like this you need to remember you're trying to draw in people who don't fully agree with you.
They use a different protocol from the "fediverse".
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That’s just open source, not decentralized. I can’t find a definition of decentralization that would even make it vague. From Wikipedia:
Decentralization is the process by which the activities of an organization, particularly those related to planning and decision-making, are distributed or delegated away from a central, authoritative location or group and given to smaller factions within it.
Signal has a central authoritative server and to use it with any other server you have to modify the source code.
That’s just open source, not decentralized.
Depending on exactly how said open source development is occuring, I could argue that open source development is decentralized, it may even be federated (all depending on licensing and development medium imo).
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Could the software selection be more diverse? There's also MBin/Piefed, and Misskey/Sharkey/Firefish/Akkoma/Iceshrimp.
PS: Signal is not federated at all, it's centralized. It should either be replaced with SimpleX or matrix/Jabber.
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Try Matrix or XMPP instead of signal
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That’s just open source, not decentralized. I can’t find a definition of decentralization that would even make it vague. From Wikipedia:
Decentralization is the process by which the activities of an organization, particularly those related to planning and decision-making, are distributed or delegated away from a central, authoritative location or group and given to smaller factions within it.
Signal has a central authoritative server and to use it with any other server you have to modify the source code.
Decentralization is the process by which the activities of an organization, particularly those related to planning and decision-making, are distributed or delegated away from a central, authoritative location or group and given to smaller factions within
Imo this fits my usage of the term — Signal can be broken up into many isolated servers all offering the same service.
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Friendly reminder that peertube can expose your IP address.
To stop it, disable "Help share videos being played" in your options
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E-mail is an excellent protocol for messaging, see delta.chat
Oh sure, if you're using something like that I can get behind it. But then you're back to the network effect. Probably slightly mitigated since everybody has email, even if they're not getting it in a pretty IM format and won't be replying to it on the spot.
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How so? Seems like just a slightly different UI for the same thing to me?
Not sure what to say to that. Nobody in my group would consider classic email and IMs equivalent, unless you're layering an extra UI layer on top like what the other commentor mentioned.
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What does signal have to do with anything?
technically nothing but it serves as a privacy respecting alternative to meta/google controlled messengers.
things like mastodon and pixelfed are rather easy to wrap your head around and replace their big tech counterparts with if you are the average user.
there is no real replacement for an instant messaging/sms like experience. matrix is at the moment still a bit too complicated to get into if you have come to expect a workflow like: download an app -> write your phone contacts a message.
so although it is not federated it is the best we have got at the moment in my opinion
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technically nothing but it serves as a privacy respecting alternative to meta/google controlled messengers.
things like mastodon and pixelfed are rather easy to wrap your head around and replace their big tech counterparts with if you are the average user.
there is no real replacement for an instant messaging/sms like experience. matrix is at the moment still a bit too complicated to get into if you have come to expect a workflow like: download an app -> write your phone contacts a message.
so although it is not federated it is the best we have got at the moment in my opinion
There's also SimpleX, though it's much less popular. (not like Signal is used everywhere though, it's just a matter of what you switch your group to.)
