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Is there any proprietary Android app for which you wish there would be an open-source alternative? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Basically, what the title says. Do you use any app, that is proprietary, but either has no OSS alternatives or they're all not good enough? If there is an alternative, what keeps you from switching?

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

Pedantic, but Google Messages' RCS. And it's all Google's fault because they are holding the API hostage, probably because they want to create familiarity with the app so that people don't switch once they finally open up.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I'm glad Google is exposing how crappy RCS is.

It's been fifteen years, and all they have is a "protocol" that's still completely dependant on a phone number.

What good is that? Why would I want that?

There are numerous systems that don't rely on a phone number, e.g. XMPP did everything RCS is trying to do, in 2010 (I ran it on my phone then, with a desktop client that kept in sync).

Teleguard works on every platform, no phone number required, as does MATRIX, Simplex, Wire, Threema, etc, etc.

Not to mention the issues people have with it. It's unreliable.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

RCS is not another chat app.

It's the NEW SMS. That is why it is so important, and that is why it works ONLY IF YOU HAVE A PHONE. Because that's literally the point.

Having your mom, grandpa, and everyone automatically use encrypted, modern comnunication just because they have a phone is extremely important.

Realise that in places where SMS has been historically free, SMS is the standard.

XMPP, Matrix or whatever will obviously still have its place for more "incognito" conversations. But having a phone number should also give you access to a better alternative than SMS.

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