Do you also use an Android phone without GCM (Google Cloud Messaging) so without the Google Apps installed? I have the same issues there 
The desktop telegram client is free and open source. The server software is not. While the telegram desktop client could fall under SaaSS, I still feel that using Telegram is way better for privacy than Facebook Messenger.
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Vs. Signal that is free and open source GNU-based licenses for both client and server. Eventually we should have better GNU-compatible self-hostable messaging servers. Telegram reportedly stores contacts, media, and seemingly even the damn encryption keys on the server! Message encryption is not on by default. They as non-cryptographers rolled their own seemingly unaudited crypto. I hope that I would not need to point out the absurdity in comparing anything to Facebook Messenger on a Purism forum. As Telegram actually works against forwarding privacy and security, Purism (and the security-minded) should have nothing to do with it.
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I don’t want E2E encryption on by default. I want it on when I want it and off when I don’t want it
Signal is run by a person who is hostile to the F-Droid community and has repeatedly proven himself to be unkind in his communications. Signal doesn’t have a standalone desktop client.
Telegram has promised they will open source everything: https://telegram.org/faq#q-why-not-open-source-everything
Based on their recent efforts to stand up against all of Russia, I am willing to take them on their word for now.
The competition does not know how to deliver a messaging platform that is reliable, easy to use, and secure when needed. Open source should be learning from Telegram’s example.
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I’ve used Wire both with and without GCM and have notification issues using either. Signal suffers from the same problems!
Can we agree that for privacy/security we want: free and open source software on both the server & client side, end-to-end encryption without server having keys, audited software/crypto-algorithms, ergonomic software/interfaces?
Granted that nothing seems to properly address all these. Even though Signal “has” a desktop client it is not really functional in my experience. And agreed that Signal has significant ergonomic issues (though increasingly improved).
Why would you not want end-to-end encryption on by default? Clearly noobs have been confused thinking they were having encrypted sessions when they weren’t. Furthermore increased properly encrypted traffic in general makes it harder for malevolent agencies to sift man-in-the-middle signal from noise.
Re signal being run by someone hostile to F-Droid…can you elaborate as I don’t know anything about this? Doesn’t sound like Moxie.
Telegram seems like a joke for security, e.g. https://www.reddit.com/r/privacytoolsIO/comments/6r655i/telegram_isnt_safe/ or https://cs.au.dk/~jakjak/master-thesis.pdf It seems like cryptographers are shitting on Telegram because Telegram devs seem to not know what they are doing (marketing aside). I can’t understand why it is being marketed as privacy/security focused. “We promise to open source everything” as per their FAQ is just absurd and offensive from a FOSS/security perspective. Would this site exist if Purism said that? There is a reason why “trust, but verify” is a ubiquitous mantra.
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Purism originally shipped with a proprietary BIOS and a full Intel ME. I think we can agree that a company working towards fully free is better than the alternative.
I used Telegram at one point on my journey to FLOSS. I see it as a gateway drug of sorts. Get people into Telegram and maybe then you can get them int “harder” stuff.
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Hi everyone,
A short reminder on what Purism envisions to support at launch regarding IM: two applications. One for SMS and small groups within Matrix, and one for large group in Matrix. This should be based on Fractal.
Purism’s Andrea is also working on a PoC based on XMPP in case E2EE doesn’t make it to the Fractal split by the phone launch.
Anyway, I think it’s worth reminding the phone will not support notifications at launch, although it will shortly after.
It won’t support notifications at all? Or the lockscreen won’t support notifications?
In my understanding it won’t support notifications at all, but I could be wrong so don’t take my word for that.
I’ll keep you updated with the correct information 
It is ridiculous and absurd to compare Purism releasing laptops with proprietary bios made by others, to marketers of shit closed-source encryption software like Telegram promising to open source their code. Software like Telegram is not a gateway, it’s a trap.
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You are welcome to your opinions and I am welcome to mine.
Please moderate your language. You’re talking to other human beings just like yourself.
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Just to let you know, there already is a w9rking Telegram client for Linux mobile phones. It’s a default IM client in Ubuntu Touch and used by tousands of Linux users and developers for communication.
https://open.uappexplorer.com/app/com.ubuntu.telegram
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So, if you want to install Telegram on the Librem 5, we know that using Ubuntu Touch (which will be officially supported) will work!
This isn’t so much a reply as a question, but I know Wire doesn’t support SMS and I’m not sure if Telegram does. But I know Signal does. I use Signal so I can be safe, regardless of who’s on the other end. 85% of my friends and family are on iOS. I need something that handles traditional SMS/MMS while being able to do video chat on mobile (Librem 5) and desktop Linux (Ubuntu 18.04, Pop_OS!, and possibly Manjaro).
Ok, but why was he hostile? It is not like communities are above reproach.
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To the point of the thread, I would prefer Signal for a variety of reasons.
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I’ve just made a Purism group on Telegram for anyone who is interested: https://t.me/joinchat/HRnHbBFKSP3hhm-WrMRu8g
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I would imagine Telegram will work not so sure about the other questions.