Wire is Free Software now

19 replies [Last post]
albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

I've wanted to tell you about wire for a couple months now. I am really happy :)
https://wire.com/en/

Wire is software really similar to whatsapp or telegram. But is free now both client and server side.

It also has encryption by default on client side. For messages, calls and videocalls.

It also sync between devices, so you can sync it between smartphone and GNU/Linux. (Useful because you can send files, it works as a secure small cloud)

It supports multiple OS so your friends and family can easily install on proprietary OS and is so intuitive they will use it quickly without your help :)

You can send files, emojis and GIF's. You can also draw :)

It uses Google Play services on adroid BUT it works without them too :) so it should work on Replicant.

I must say I really like it.

P.S.If anyone wants to talk with me over wire just let me now and I'll send you my account :)

stas730 (not verified)
stas730

Use IRC with OTR.

albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

Yes, but my family and friends wont. If you use IRC and want to play sometime join #LGN ;)

ADFENO
Offline
Joined: 12/31/2012

I'd suggest to use GNU Ring, distributed, even better than federated. :)

Because it's distributed: the client itself is the provider of his
"availability", and can also "help" other clients on delivering messages
(when they are off-line). :)

At least for GNU Ring, the messages are bounced three times between
clients/helpers, one time per minute. Perhaps we can improve this for
like: bouncing two days or for one week. But, this of course needs to be
suggested and even improved.
--
- [[https://libreplanet.org/wiki/User:Adfeno]]
- Palestrante e consultor sobre /software/ livre (não confundir com
gratis).
- "WhatsApp"? Ele não é livre, por isso não uso. Iguais a ele prefiro
Ring, ou Tox. Quer outras formas de contato? Adicione o vCard que
está no endereço acima aos teus contatos.
- Pretende me enviar arquivos .doc, .ppt, .cdr, ou .mp3? OK, eu
aceito, mas não repasso. Entrego apenas em formatos favoráveis ao
/software/ livre. Favor entrar em contato em caso de dúvida.
- "People said I should accept the world. Bullshit! I don't accept the
world."
--- Richard Stallman

albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

GNU Ring is great. However my family and friends had lots of problems to use it.

With Wire they have had none.

And as the server is free under AGPL and it has encryption by default on client side, privacy and freedom are not issues.

ADFENO
Offline
Joined: 12/31/2012

Indeed, at first glance its source files seem to be free/libre because
of the license you mentioned (I didn't check the dependencies, but I
will relax my arguing just for the purpose of the final thought, and so
I'll assume that the dependencies are also free/libre).

Point in case: source files and licensing seems OK.

However, those termos of service about "having to make the new server
not connect to the existing one" is somewhat interesting... It seems
that they want to hold your data back with them, and not give it to you,
so that they can figure "something" out.

As a suggestion: I propose that over time, we contribute to GNU Ring,
and re-test it with our families. For example, I'm giving a "boost" to
them by trying to package it to GNU Guix, so more testers can appear,
even if they have, say, some outdated things in their current operating
system.

albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

GNU Ring lacks one really important thing is not simple to use.

:/ my family and friends didn't understand it.

ADFENO
Offline
Joined: 12/31/2012

Well, free/libre software isn't perfect, we should perhaps start taking
feedback from these people who didn't understand it. :)

We can do for example, questions like:

- What is the difficulty in detail?

- Why do you want it to be in [such way]?

Then, make a bug report (in the bug tracker, not on IRC nor mailing
list) describing the issue.

The moment people start being more transparent to each other, then we
can start improving things :)

albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

But Wire is free software :)

mixalis_t
Offline
Joined: 02/21/2014

What do you think of this https://wire.com/en/legal/#license-restrictions-and-conditions-of-use ? (especially 6 and 7) It's a bit confusing.

It forbids certain things like selling the application unless you make your own application and it doesn't connect to their servers.

albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

Wire used to be proprietary software. That link is just outdated.

Now it is under GPL

https://github.com/wireapp/wire-android/blob/master/LICENSE

https://github.com/wireapp/wire-desktop/blob/master/LICENSE

And server is AGPL

https://github.com/wireapp/wire-server/blob/master/LICENSE

So don't worry :) it is Free Software now :)

Megver83
Offline
Joined: 12/21/2015

Wire used to be proprietary software.

When was is created? can I trust it?

albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

Well you can see the code in the same comment, it is under GPLv3.

It also has end to end encryption and was independently audited recently:

https://medium.com/@wireapp/wires-independent-security-review-61f37a1762a8

It is also based on Swiss and they do reports of every request they get

https://wire.com/en/privacy/#transparency

They have encryption on client side so there is not much they can share with the police though :)

As for when it was created, honestly I don't know. I only care about when it became Free Software :)

albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

I just read the report, in 3 years they haven't get a single request from police :)

strypey
Offline
Joined: 05/14/2015

I'm in intrigued. Three questions:

Is Wire just a mobile OS thing or are there clients for desktop/ laptop?

Why is using Wire better than using Mumble? It's also a server/ client voice chat app, there are clients for all major OS (desktop and mobile), and all the server and client software is and has always been free code.

albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

1.- If you click one of the many links i shared so far you can see it has support for desktop and mobile OS.

2.- They are intended for different purpose so I don't think one is better than the other.

3.- I don't think it makes a difference for how long the code is being free as long as it is free software.

There are a few good things about Wire, as I already said:

1.- People who is not tech savy can use it without my help.

2.- No need for cellphone number.

3.- End to end encryption by default.

4.- Syncs account between devices.

5.- Send voice messages, files, images, emojis, GIF's, and drawnings.

6.- Text, audio and videocalls.

7.- Nice and clean interface.

8.- People I know is actually willing to change to wire as opposed to other things.

This is why I like it so much.

Not because I think is better. But because it had allowed me to use a free and secure way to communicate with family and friends before they get desperate and say "I don't understand this app" and uninstall.

albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

1.- If you click one of the many links i shared so far you can see it has support for desktop and mobile OS.

2.- They are intended for different purpose so I don't think one is better than the other.

3.- I don't think it makes a difference for how long the code is being free as long as it is free software.

There are a few good things about Wire, as I already said:

1.- People who is not tech savy can use it without my help.

2.- No need for cellphone number.

3.- End to end encryption by default.

4.- Syncs account between devices.

5.- Send voice messages, files, images, emojis, GIF's, and drawnings.

6.- Text, audio and videocalls.

7.- Nice and clean interface.

8.- People I know is actually willing to change to wire as opposed to other things.

This is why I like it so much.

Not because I think is better. But because it had allowed me to use a free and secure way to communicate with family and friends before they get desperate and say "I don't understand this app" and uninstall.

quantumgravity
Offline
Joined: 04/22/2013

Hi albertoefg
I don't know why nobody seems to care about your post / is only referring to other so far unfinished solutions (ring is beta at the moment).
I think it's great news and I can't wait to check it out!

However, do you know about WebRTC? There are a lot of providers out there which allow you to share a link and then have a video chat with your friend in your webbrowser.
It works with only free software and webrtc is end-to-end encrypted.

It's good to have an app-alternative though. So thumbs up!
We're more and more heading towards the point that skype becomes easy to replace (and no matter what other people say, my experience is that currently it's not).

albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

Hey, thanks :)

Yes I wish more people were interested in this :)

It seems that neither Spanish or English forum had much interest.

Some even said is bad because comes from a company. Which personally I found sad. Because we should celebrate new companies are joining the free software movement.

Specially if they use strong Copyleft as in this case. Now that they changed most of their code to GPL.

But anyway I am glad that you liked. I didn't know about WebRTC to be honest.

I'll try to convince my sister to use it.

Lastly, you are right I think that Wire is a real opportunity to defeat Skype.

It has a lot of great features and I hope more people start using it so people can ditch Skype. :)

And yes, GNU Ring is great but has a long way to become as good as Wire.

Just because Wire is not GNU doesn't make it less Free Software and I am sure RMS wouldn't tell me to stop using it :)

albertoefg
Offline
Joined: 04/21/2016

If you create an account tell me so i can add you :)