Looking for new maintainer / developer for TextSecure / Signal app
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Pushing this to top. Looking for a developer for Signal. Will get support from OpenWhisperSystems, we have established contact with them.
BR
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@flohack : Thank you very much acting on the Signal messenger for UBPorts. I am very much looking forward to an improved and system-integrated Signal app.
I had been in contact with Jani, the original TextSecure/Signal developer and he was very responsive and friendly. He also mentioned that he can offer some advice to a new maintainer how to take over the development. It is certainly helpful if you contact him.
The current version of the TextSecure app is functioning quite well. I am actually using it everyday to chat with Signal users on Android. It has some quirks, though (crashes, some messages only appear after restarting the app, etc.), but it is very usable and has all core features.
By the way, following information on the Signal messenger in the community update 17 is not really correct:
Cited from Community update 17: "Why is there no Signal app? Open Whisper Systems is similarly protective with Signal as Facebook with WhatsApp. This is for good reason. OWS has paid for audits of its Signal encryption and very carefully reviews the code that they use for the app. We've heard from them previously that an Ubuntu Touch Signal app will either be made by Open Whisper Systems or not at all." The statement is not correct, given that Jani could implement a functioning TextSecure app. This app just needs a new maintainer/developer.
https://ubports.com/blog/community-updates-5/post/community-update-17-101 -
@gt Hi and thx for the info. Yes it was a misunderstanding but OWS told us in the first dialog with them that they do not have capacity to do this app on their side, and they did not comment on UBports implementing it, so we had the impression that they do not want 3rd party clients.
On the 2nd dialog it looks a bit more that they could support us, and also bc many parts of it are opensource anyway.
But its true, it depends on a maintainer. Sad to say, among 1100 ppl from the supergroup no one seems interested
BR
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@flohack Hello guys and boss. I am very very interested, I think there are plenty of people excited about this, but sadly from my side, I am not a dev. But I an open to contribute with more donations if needed
Thank you all for everything!
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Has an email blast been sent out for a call to devs? I understand that UBports should have an email list of individuals who have indicated upon signing up that they are developers....perhaps a good starting point for targeted recruiting for an awesome app like this.
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@malditobastardo : I would be also willing to contribute a donation if needed to get Signal (back) on UBPorts. Please let me know if there is some crowdfunding going on for it.
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Hi, it looks like that Aaron Kimmig (https://open.uappexplorer.com/app/textsecure.nanuc) just recently published a fork of the TextSecure app (with some modifications) on OpenStore.
The installation of the app worked flawlessly. Apparently Aaron had to give a new app-ID, so that the existing contacts and chat history was not imported. I tried to get my contacts and chat history back on board and it seems to work (but I don't know whether there are any side-effects): In the three folders ~/.cache, in ~/.config, and in ~/.local, I renamed the new textsecure...nanuc folders to textsecure...nanuc_orig. Then I copied the former textsecure...jani folders and renamed them to textsecure...nanuc. This worked for me (but as I said, I don't know whether there are negative side-effects).
Glad to see Textsecure in OpenStore and my thanks to Aaron. I hope that he continues working on TextSecure/Signal on UBPorts.
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Great news that Aaron has taken on this great app and also that OWS is supportive. It will be a great asset to ubports to have this app functioning. The latest textsecure2 app is still crashing on my Nexus 5 but I see that the issue has already been reported on Git hub.
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The latest version of the app, renamed to Signal, is now functioning perfectly on Nexus 5. Thanks for the great work.
What are the chances of getting notifications working in future? I understand it would need changes in the OS to allow this. -
@bf The issue is not the OS, we are perfectly prepared for notifications, but the problem is to get OpenWhisper Systems to implement our push interface. But we are already talking with them, so lets see what will be the outcome.
BR
My languages: 🇦🇹 🇩🇪 🇬🇧 🇺🇸
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Thanks for the clarification. It's good that OWS is willing to cooperate. And thanks for the great work on the OS. Less than a year after the despair of Canonical's decision to drop UT, some really terrific improvements have already been made. Really encouraging!
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@flohack said in Looking for new maintainer / developer for TextSecure / Signal app:
@bf The issue is not the OS, we are perfectly prepared for notifications, but the problem is to get OpenWhisper Systems to implement our push interface. But we are already talking with them, so lets see what will be the outcome.
BR
This sounds really great!
Thank you, flohack. -
Just tried out linking the Ubuntu Signal app (https://signal.org/blog/standalone-signal-desktop/) with Ubuntu Touch Signal app - works like a charm!
Thanks a lot, Aaron for taking over maintenance of and adding new features to the Signal app!
Only hiccup so far: During my first tests messages I wrote on the desktop did not all make it over to the mobile app.
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Just stumbled over this discussion over at the purism forum - an interesting read, also referencing the Ubuntu Tourch Signal app: https://forums.puri.sm/t/signal-client-for-the-librem-5/2743/13
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Yeah. Unfortunately one year has passed, and we have still not moved further a bit. OWS does not talk to us any longer it seems, at least they did not reply on what things I sent them.
So for us its really questionable what will be the future of Signal on UT. I think that it will not evolve to a fully featured App ever.
BR
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@flohack Thanks for the info on the (non)progress talking to OWS. It is really weird how OWS handles community activities.
In the meanwhile Aaron has continuously updated the Signal app and it works well, so far: https://open.uappexplorer.com/app/textsecure.nanuc
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Btw. for all that didn't recognize that there is a workaround to get notifications from the signal app... Just turn off app suspending for the signal app (using UT Tweak Tool) and you'll get notifications. According to @nanu-c it has no big impact on the battery (at least he doesn't notice a big impact, may vary if you're not already running dekko maybe ;-)). Just try it out!
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@hummlbach said in Looking for new maintainer / developer for TextSecure / Signal app:
Btw. for all that didn't recognize that there is a workaround to get notifications from the signal app... Just turn off app suspending for the signal app (using UT Tweak Tool) and you'll get notifications. According to @nanu-c it has no big impact on the battery (at least he doesn't notice a big impact, may vary if you're not already running dekko maybe ;-)). Just try it out!
That would be great! So I tried this:
Start UT Tweak Tool -> Menu -> Apps Scopes -> Look for Signal -> Prevent app suspension
This option was off, switched it to on.Then I started Signal, and I recieve new messages / notifications (like it already did), but when I close Signal, I don't get new messages, or notifications.
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list itemSo it seams it doesn't work for me?
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list itemOr am I doing it wrong?
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list itemOr did I misunderstand?
@hummlbach Can you please help?
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@thebird don't close the app, leave it open, lock the screen, you may also use another app and keep signal in the background. See whether you get notifications like that.
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@flohack said in Looking for new maintainer / developer for TextSecure / Signal app:
Yeah. Unfortunately one year has passed, and we have still not moved further a bit. OWS does not talk to us any longer it seems, at least they did not reply on what things I sent them.
So for us its really questionable what will be the future of Signal on UT. I think that it will not evolve to a fully featured App ever.
BR
Maybe more people (maybe all using UT) should file a request Signal support page => upper right corner
