Signal's finally getting desktop history sync!
Hello, all! Some of you are aware that we’ve been working on a pretty cool device-independent backup format, and now we’re looking to test our first use-case: syncing your message history with a newly-linked device! You heard that right – your newly-linked devices will finally have all of your messa...
What the fuck. I've lived to see the day. Heading to grab the beta version!
How about some gif integration?
Still waiting for native Android tablet sync so I don't have to use Molly.
did they finally support an Android tablet client?
Molly does, yes.
Interesting! I wonder how this works under the hood, if it's p2p.
Is this safe?
Yes! Everything is end-to-end encrypted at all times. The data sent over to your desktop is encrypted with a strong, single-use 256-bit key that only your linked device has access to. That key is sent over the same pre-existing encrypted channel where we share other crucial keys with the linked device already. Which is to say, if you feel comfortable with the way we link devices today, you can continue to feel comfortable with this new addition.
Where’s all of my older media?
As noted above, we can only sync media sent/received in the last 45 days.
What if I don’t want to sync my message history to my newly-linked device?
You don’t have to! You can choose whether or not you want to sync your messages during the linking process.
What if everything works fine?
Still post a log! They’re useful to get a sense of performance numbers, and logs could indicate non-fatal-but-still-bad things that happened during the backup/import.
Doesn't seem to be. Seems relayed via their servers.
There is also this quote, which is weird:
The only media that syncs is media that was sent/received in the last 45 days, because that’s how long encrypted media lives on Signal’s servers in order to match the current maximum timeframe for queued messages for offline devices. Media older that that will not be available.
So that begs the question, if text messages don't live longer, why are they able to sync from older than 45 days? I'm guessing its because they are sent p2p? But in that case, why is media then not also sent p2p? Is it because of amount of data/transfer speeds?
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as usual, devs are lost in implementing ludicrously complex scenarios for threat models that touch but a percentile of users, instead of implementing functionality that's normal everywhere else.
Where’s all of my older media?
As noted above, we can only sync media sent/received in the last 45 days.
are you for real? I mean, come on! coulda saved yourself the blog post. also, the two device maximum is still in effect? the electron crap posing as an app, that's it, that's the extent of your dev team's capabilities?
as usual, devs are lost in implementing ludicrously complex scenarios for threat models that touch but a percentile of users, instead of implementing functionality that’s normal everywhere else.
as usual, users are lost in complaining about a privacy-centered application prioritizing on privacy-centered solutions, instead of using the hundreds of other already insecure applications that are normal everywhere else.
people really will complain about anything. It's like progress means nothing, unless a fully working solution is available day 1, it's completely worthless. bff