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Ask HN: What's a low-effort replacement for Facebook messenger?

2 points by _tulpa ↗ HN
Messenger is my last facebook service. I'd really like to sever the last tie and take my friends with me.

So I have two questions:

1. What's the lowest-friction replacement (for Android/iOS/desktop or web) with comparable features and good privacy?

2. How'd you get people to switch?

11 comments

[ 2.8 ms ] story [ 38.6 ms ] thread
trwoway
Signal
_tulpa
Either this or wire seems to be what people suggest.

How do you convince people to use one of them though?

Artemix
Signal supports "unencrypted SMS" alongside the ciphered messages. You can then use Signal as a central client for both SMS and Signal chats
_tulpa
SMS is what everyone abandoned for messenger. Signal looks like a winner though.
DoreenMichele
"Sorry, I don't have FB messenger. The best way to contact me is X, Y or Z."

Then accept that you will never hear from some people again. And shrug.

corvallis
What feature about facebook messenger are you trying to replicate? I have never used facebook messenger (deleted my facebook prior to messenger) so I can't speak to it specifically. However I have no issues with using group text or group email which seems like what people use messenger for.
_tulpa
Me personally? Just the people.

Friends seem to like 'rich chat' stuff like gifs and stickers and all that crap.

Voice/video chat would be a bonus too.

corvallis
I don't know about Android as I got sucked into the the Apple ecosystem early on, but FaceTime satisfies the video chat component. Android users can use Skype, I believe. I personally don't use gifs/stickers etc (what is the age range of the people using these things? Not judging, just curious) but some people I know use bitmoji in their iMessages. "Voice chat"... isn't that aka a telephone call?

People.. are these your real life friends and coworkers or online only? If they are real life people, they should be happy to contact you in whichever way you are reachable. Not sure why you would have to have facebook messenger otherwise fear dropping out of the social sphere. Is this a self-fulfilling FOMO situation?

besasam
1. Telegram.

2. You tell them it has cooler stickers.