Signal-Android VS TextSecure

https://github.com/jukefoxer/Signal-Android/tree/feature/wa-...

> The repository mentions [0] the Wassenaar agreement, and that I must consult with the laws of my country on whether I am allowed to import/use software which includes encryption algorithms developed in other countries.

> Wat?

> In this day and age 99% (OK, this number is exaggerated, but you get my point) of software includes some sort of encryption. For one, think about all the libs/apps which communicate over the Internet and use encryption libs to talk via HTTPs. Is mentioning The Wassenaar Arrangement [1] in terms of software even necessary nowadays?

> Linux, Windows, MacOS - all have encryption libs built in (at least on the kernel level). They have been made in various countries, yet they are used all over the world. Do they fall under the terms of The Wassenaar Arrangement?

> --------

> [0] https://github.com/jukefoxer/Signal-Android/tree/feature/wa-...

> [1] https://www.wassenaar.org

It's also mentioned in the original signal repo.I guess they have their reasons to include it and the fork just left it there.

Moxie's reasons for disallowing Signal distribution via F-droid always rang a little flat to me ( https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/issues/127 ). Lots of chatter about the supposedly superior security model of Google Play Store, and as a result fewer eyes independently building and testing the Signal code base. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but independent and reproducible builds seem like a net positive for everyone. Always struggled to understand releasing code as open source without taking advantage of the community's willingness to build and test. Looking at it in a new light after the XZ backdoor, and Jia Tan's interactions with other FOSS folk.

Signal has documentation on how to reproduce their Play Store builds and compare them with what you've installed locally:

https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/blob/main/reprod...

There's nothing on Signal blog as of yet, but Signal's git repository was tagged with v7.0.0 yesterday and we can see from the commit history since the previously tagged version (v6.74.4) that there will be a setting to hide one's phone number [1], as well as disabling the previous default behavior of advertising that one is on Signal to all their contacts already using it [2].

[1] https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/commit/8797236b5... (PNP stands for "Phone Number Privacy")

[2] https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/commit/6097e6c30...

Signal works the same but without the user tracking from Meta/Facebook. Many people use it as well but I'm surprised that a majority sticks to WhatsApp.

Telegram and Signal solve this.

Sadly yes: Looks like an open issue 13290 for Signal, sounds like they were/are indeed still interacting through google's push notification service, wat, and per a link at that issue it was a chore for Tutanota to break away once they realised it was a problem some years ago (though at least they thought about it years ago? wtf Signal...)

Here is one: https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/tree/main/reprod...

Rule 1: Posts to r/signal must relate to Signal.