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Why is Telegram getting so much better traction over open source alternatives such as Wire?

gpm 8y ago
Because it works better. I tried Wire first, I really wanted to like it. It lost messages. It got it's crypto state horribly confused and couldn't read messages from one of my contacts. It maxes out at some annoyingly low number of "devices" - which includes things like different browsers, different OSes, private browsing windows opened on someone elses computer, etc. And it generally felt like a poorly built UI.
- huhtenberg 8y ago
  I too tried Wire and was really hoping it'd be good. It was just OK instead. I haven't seen lost messages, but I've seen them taking several minutes to go through with both clients online and on the same LAN. The UI was not quite there yet too. Routine basic operations required extra taps, it felt less snappy and responsive than you'd expect it to be. So, yeah, it can be used in a pinch, but it's not yet ready as a drop-in replacement for Telegram.
- kitsunesoba 8y ago
  It really can’t be understated how important good UI+UX are when it comes to driving adoption of an IM app. Security/privacy is great but most people aren’t willing to use an app that’s heavy or has rough edges or is frustrating in any way. Think of it this way: not everybody can wrap their heads around computer security and privacy on the internet, but almost everyone can tell when an app isn’t pleasant to use or has gaping holes in its feature set. In short, if any E2EE messenger is going to come to dominate IM, its developers are going to invest just as much time and effort into its UI + UX as they do its encryption — you can’t ignore the former and wonder why the masses aren’t interested.
- lloeki 8y ago
  > Because it works better. It's not just "working better", the experience is throughout downright stellar compared to anything else, on every aspect I can think of.
- codedokode 8y ago
  It does not even have login and password so you cannot log in without using a phone. I don't understand how is that better than Skype. Skype doesn't require you to have a phone number.
  - gpm 8y ago
    Oddly if you make your account not via a phone - then it does have a login and password. Which is just plain confusing.
soziawa 8y ago
Wire has a very complicated UI. My mum can't use it and most of my friends don't really understand it either. Telegram copied WhatsApp which in turn copied SMS which is very simple and easy to understand.
crtasm 8y ago
Wire worked well for me until an update broke text and ping notification sounds. They know about it but it's now at least 8 months later and no fix. I moved friends+family to Signal after a month.
fwdpropaganda 8y ago
Because its UI is amazing and its features neverending.
jhasse 8y ago
Telegram's clients are also open-source.
rb808 8y ago
Yeah I'm still using Viber. Works great, including desktop client. Phone call quality is perfect.

gpm 8y ago

Because it works better. I tried Wire first, I really wanted to like it. It lost messages. It got it's crypto state horribly confused and couldn't read messages from one of my contacts. It maxes out at some annoyingly low number of "devices" - which includes things like different browsers, different OSes, private browsing windows opened on someone elses computer, etc. And it generally felt like a poorly built UI.

huhtenberg 8y ago
I too tried Wire and was really hoping it'd be good. It was just OK instead. I haven't seen lost messages, but I've seen them taking several minutes to go through with both clients online and on the same LAN. The UI was not quite there yet too. Routine basic operations required extra taps, it felt less snappy and responsive than you'd expect it to be. So, yeah, it can be used in a pinch, but it's not yet ready as a drop-in replacement for Telegram.
kitsunesoba 8y ago
It really can’t be understated how important good UI+UX are when it comes to driving adoption of an IM app. Security/privacy is great but most people aren’t willing to use an app that’s heavy or has rough edges or is frustrating in any way. Think of it this way: not everybody can wrap their heads around computer security and privacy on the internet, but almost everyone can tell when an app isn’t pleasant to use or has gaping holes in its feature set. In short, if any E2EE messenger is going to come to dominate IM, its developers are going to invest just as much time and effort into its UI + UX as they do its encryption — you can’t ignore the former and wonder why the masses aren’t interested.
lloeki 8y ago
> Because it works better. It's not just "working better", the experience is throughout downright stellar compared to anything else, on every aspect I can think of.
codedokode 8y ago
It does not even have login and password so you cannot log in without using a phone. I don't understand how is that better than Skype. Skype doesn't require you to have a phone number.
- gpm 8y ago
  Oddly if you make your account not via a phone - then it does have a login and password. Which is just plain confusing.

soziawa 8y ago

Wire has a very complicated UI. My mum can't use it and most of my friends don't really understand it either. Telegram copied WhatsApp which in turn copied SMS which is very simple and easy to understand.

crtasm 8y ago

Wire worked well for me until an update broke text and ping notification sounds. They know about it but it's now at least 8 months later and no fix. I moved friends+family to Signal after a month.

fwdpropaganda 8y ago

Because its UI is amazing and its features neverending.

jhasse 8y ago

Telegram's clients are also open-source.

rb808 8y ago

Yeah I'm still using Viber. Works great, including desktop client. Phone call quality is perfect.