well before 2013 it wasnt "Signal" but some proprietary software. After 2016 it wasn't anymore "the initial phase"
Funny how you don't seem to be wanting to see 2013-2016, but it's OK. facts speak for themselves :)
"Between 2013 and 2016, Open Whisper Systems received grants from the Shuttleworth Foundation,[49] the Knight Foundation,[50] and the Open Technology Fund.[51]"
"Marlinspike launched Open Whisper Systems' website in January 2013.[2][1]"
(from the page you linked)
How is that not the OTF (100% funded by Radio Free Asia) since its inception? how is it not its initial conception phase?
US government: “Make us an app that people can use so we are the only ones accessing their meta-data.” Developer: makes Signal US Government: 👍
yet it's fair to say that:
- Signal was incepted by US gov funds
- During most of it's initial conception phase it was US gov funded
- therefore some of the characteristics its users still suffer today (like reliance on strong selectors, pinky-promise of non-retaining metadata, centralized architecture based on the same "cloud" as the one of the CIA and other decisions hostile to free/libre software users and ethics) originate from that era.
As many people mentioned backups before, I would only add this: Maybe check -in your favourite search engine- if the very same model of computer that you use doesn't have know quirks (hardware needing some tweaking, not being fully recognized, etc.) with gnu/linux, like for instance searching "$model linux" or "$model $distro" (with the distros you plan on trying, etc.
Also maybe if you connect only via Wifi, check that wifi chip for compatibility first, and maybe get as a backup a USB wifi dongle that is know to work on gnu/linux... juuuust in case ;)
Last generation emulation console (A*bernic). All history of video games up to PS1 in my pocket/backpack <3
... er.... the only thing stopping an AmericaBad-with-a-gun is an AmericaGood-with-a-gun...?
am glad that https://simplex.chat doesn't even need to touch sensitive personal data strong selectors such as phone numbers or email addresses!
also now that i think of it:
- there is now a discovery mechanism of some sort... but otherwise it's a feature and not a bug that you can only identify people whom you had an initial exchange with. much preferable than something that Signal that without asking (and without opting out?) will by default access all your contacts and match them through the use of a strong selector (phone number) also:
- i think with the minimal knowledge the server has of its users (and the no-identity concept) this really limits risk. Also it means that for the most tight of security models, one can use their own server (which is not feasible with most other chat protocols)
so all in all: go simplex! :)
Bruce Schneier is also probably just a conspiracy theorist, when he writes in 2014:
"By the way, the Register noted that Whisper Systems (along with Tor and several other privacy projects) received $450,000 from Radio Free Asia – which is pretty much an official State Department / CIA propaganda organ, isn’t it? How exactly does this work as a coherent national security strategy, when State is funding ‘privacy’ while NSA is funding eavesdropping? https://www.opentechfund.org/sites/default/files/attachments/otf2013annualreportfinal.pdf"
https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2014/11/whatsapp_is_now.html
oh and that linked annual report of the OTF, like the following ones, doesn't seem to be online anymore... :))
what a joke