JoeBidet

There’s no law in existence that requires them to store metadata or hand anything over to the feds. They have been subpoenaed several times and it always comes out the same: the only data they have is what I detailed above. Even if they DO have it (which they don’t) they don’t provide it, which is effectively the same thing.

It is just enough that this metadata be handled within the computing environment of Amazon. Their refusal for anyone use their own server and federate with "their" (as in captive) users also prevents anyone for using it in any other way...

If you dont see that Signal requires that its users use a strong-selector phone# in order to use the service, there is nothing i can do for you.

Evidence is: Signal still requires a phone# that is your unique identifier. Thus when connecting two parties, it is bound to have identifying metadata about them. (and that Signal still operates within AWS cloud, and is bound by US law: FISA, Patriot Act, etc.) How much more than this do you need?

You make it sound like there are only these two possibilities, that's where it gets misleading...

Well does paying a CEO 1.000.000$ count as "big", or "not for-profit"?

You’re lying.

Thanks! :)

But no. Happened to several friends of mine, out of the blue: phone# verification to their signal account. Therefore when accusing people of lying... you are lying! :)

It's not just about "having your phone number", it is indeed relating it to the phone numbers of all the people you interact with, and (at least) processing these data in the RAM of amazon servers while promising they do not use or store it. It is strongly identifying "strong selector" metadata that is incompatible with the protection of users' privacy.

You can call me a lier, but you better check your sources.

How and why is Signal not "American big tech"? It even runs on Amazon' servers!

usernames is just for users. it is just a display thing. Signal still require that you use a phone# to sign up, and that you keep owning and paying for that SIM over the years in order to be able to verify it at random intervals...

despite being a very anti-privacy feature (esp. from a US company, funded initially bu US gov, who still forces its users to have their metadata stored on a US cloud...), it is also very much anti-user as in many cases around me, people who opened Signal accounts with some SIM card some day later traveled abroad, changed life, etc... and one day were asked to verify their account. (this is in some case what prompted their migration towards other communication networks...)

by "FOSS" you mean compatible with the core values of free/libre software?

This rules out Signal because: 1/ some of its server software is proprietary 2/ they dont allow you to communicate with "their" users if you want to run the server software yourself 3/ the prevented authors of free/libre software in the past to distribute their software (find a fdroid/signal thread) 4/ in practice they channel their users through their centralized servers hosted on AWS

(and that's without evoking their questionable funding, and long lasting commitment to make all their users identifiable through phone number, 10+y after US generals declared "we kill people based on metadata"....)

Simplex seems to me like the one really ticking all the boxes.

"we need a bigger boat!"

they say "sideloading" we say "install the software of our choice"

hmm no big deal, but either i expressed myself wrong, or you are mis-informed about pickling :)

there are several pickling techniques, the most common is lacto-fermentation and:

1/ it doesnt require any boiling. you could be boiling your jars to disinfect them, but thorough wash with soap and/or vinegar is more than enough. so no "cooked food", no license, thanks.

2/ the labour is barely more than any other preparation of that food. actually much less, as no cooking is involved. cut the goods (sometimes even by hands with cauliflowers, no knife is needed for most of the job), immerse them in salt water and that's it. it scales very well.

3/ the cost of the jars can be minimum, by recycling existing ones, and/or investing in 10, 20, 50L crocs that can be used hundreds of time. their cost is thus divided by the number of fermentation cycling....

4/ like for previous point, this is assuming that the people confronted with that question are not here at their first rodeo, and that they may face that problem again, so it's more like an investment.

5/ with a little experience of fermentation, you see and smell immediately if something went bad (mold), and discard those batches. the other do look and smell good and there is no way anyone gets sick. it has worked like this for centuries, way before fridges or the notion of microbiome were invented... I also imagine that people getting food for free have an expectation to use at their own risk, no guarantee, etc... but maybe everyone sues everyone in 'murica, i dunno?

6/ for the taste of pickled cauliflower... well it seems you may never have tried it? like with anything lacto-fermented it is deliciously complex, sour, and goes with everything as a condiment, minced and mixed with other things, or lightly cooked like sauerkraut... it brings vitamins and probiotics that the body craves for, and usually rather tastes "woaa" or "hmmm" than anything else... even if you dont like cauliflower in the first place... do you think the "destitute" want rotten raw cauliflower, or no cauliflower at all, more than the pickled one?

7/ pickling/lacto-fermenting is a practice of autonomy. the labour could be contributed by the people themselves who will benefit from it, who will thus learn a very simple and accessible technique that will enable everyone in the future to conserve food ie. deal with stocks in excess, when they are cheap, abundant, etc. and save them in ways that benefit the body for times when they are not. seems pretty compatible with the objective of anyone collecting and re-distributing unused food!

pickle pickle pickle!

2% salted water brine, spices, glass weights to maintain under water in not-too-tight closed jars with co2 escape. keep at room temperature, and here you go!