formoverfunction wrote:You are correct, you can only send to other Signal users. Signal does have a desktop application.
As to receiving from none-Signal users, I now insist if people want to send messages they use something that is encrypted and private.
So, if they don't use Signal, they take time to install Tutanota or Proton Mail.
iMessages I'm OK about from other iPhone users. Just. They have to be in my much reduced contact list to get read. I'd prefer Android users didn't add me to their contact apps.
The days when I was happy to receive unencrypted comms are gone I'm afraid.
It might sound like I'm going over the top,unless you've also experience profile cloning and then you look back and shudder about how easy it was to get hold of you...how widely your information was scattered.
Gone are Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin and most of 3000 people in my social media. Can't say I regret it.
Some CERN bods are working on an encrypted, secure personal ID database idea so that in the future you don't have to have any of your personal details stored on the plethora of databases littering the web.
All the third party sites would ping the secure database to get verification that you are who you say you are, I'm assuming it uses some sort of two step authentication but the details of the whole project are very sketchy. I've seen one interview with Tim Berners Lee where he mentioned it and two very brief articles in the IT press.
Sounds great in principle though.