Sup is a New Messaging App by the Creator of Pixelfed
A brand new messaging app is coming to the Fediverse, and it's all thanks to the creator of Pixelfed.
A new messaging app is in development, and the project is described as "an open source WhatsApp for the Fediverse."
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Oh boy... Another messenger... Yay...
Nobody is telling you to use it. This originally spun out of development of a messaging app just for Pixelfed, but evolved when the dev realized it could be made to work with any Fediverse account, not just his own server project.
An optimistic view is that it could end up opening the door for end-to-end encryption to come to private messages in Fediverse servers, over time.
I think what @deadsuperhero@lemmy.ml is trying to explain is that Mastodon and Lemmy for example may be able to implement Sup as a part of their softwares too. Currently if you try to DM someone on Lemmy, the options are a Matrix redirect, or Private Messages designated as not secured.
Though I do wonder about the viability of this. People would still need to set up with Sup to receive messages, at least as I understand it. As a result, this would run into a similar problem as matrix, just without needing to use a different federated server and login I suppose.
This would also require that project leads for AP softwares would want to accept the service as a part of their distribution, assuming it even is implmented in such a manner.
TL;DR it's hard to say anything for certain when details seem to be slim.
Yeah, my current guess for how this will work is that users will do an OAuth sign-in dance with their Fedi accounts to a client that is mostly not connected to their personal accounts in any meaningful way, beyond viewing contacts that have also signed in to the client. The client itself could store the encrypted chat, rather than having it reside on any server.
Eventually, we may be far enough along at a point that the ActivityPub protocol could have an enhancement proposal for supporting chat, and apps like Sup could plug into servers in a more native way, where the conversation data lives encrypted on the server.
This is all just conjecture on my part, but it seems like a viable way to work around current network limitations.
With the open nature of the fediverse I actually see some potential here. Right now there isn’t a single messenger that I truly like. They’re all just different shades of okay or worse.
Matrix (element I guess)?
Doesn‘t quite have the userbase at least for me. I‘m only using it for one work contact and that’s it. I also heard from others who use Element a bit more that it’s quite buggy, although I haven’t experienced that myself yet.
I just don't think that new msging app will have a larger userbase than matrix. I hope I'm wrong tho
Especially considering that they made gitter into a matrix client, and several IRC servers are easily available.
What's wrong with Signal?
Mobile-first, requires phone number, proprietary server-side, google play market.
Desktop app works fine tbh.
Phone numbers required for now. Usernames potentially on the horizon per sms removal update.
Server side code is open source and available at Signal Server Github.
Also available on iOS. Android has an apk download so you dont need Google Play.
Seems you edited your comment to add new points. Lemmy doesn't notify users about changes to comments/posts they replied to, unfortunately.
Phone numbers required for now. Usernames potentially on the horizon per sms removal update.
Good to know. I prefer to never use my phone number for sign ups.
Server side code is open source and available at Signal Server Github.
They seem to put a lot of effort to centralize their app though - you can't setup your own server and talk to other signal users.
Android has an apk download so you dont need Google Play.
Yes, but you need to figure out how to verify signature keys on android + manual updates, it's just inconvinent if you compare it to F-Droid Signal devs so dislike for no good reason.
You still need to install a mobile app first. On XMPP I can create an account even if I don't own a smartphone.
Does XMPP allow e2ee group video calls?
Yes, but its early days and only few clients support it. You can try it with Dino.
I dunno, never used video calls outside of college (and hell I hate that). I heard Jitsi can do it though, again never tried myself.
I don't see the problem with that, it's a phone messenger first.
Well, I'm desktop-first kind of person, so it's a downside for me.
Sure, definitely use what works for you. I do like it as a phone messenger that happens to have a functional desktop client (Telegram and surprisingly, Whatsapp do have better desktop clients).
Signal is great, but the core developer is inherently against federation with his own product. It's just one giant centralized service.
It feels like I'm doing shady backdoor deals. It's only for the people I conspire with and really close friends...
In which we just end up using regular old sms anyway lol.
Signal is too darn secure. Much better to have one dude who probably knows how to use a crypto library build the whole thing over again with a coat of ActivityPub on top
