Can I link the desktop client to scli?

[feklee]

I would like to use scli on my PinePhone, and the desktop client on my PC (primarily for voice and video calls).

[exquo]

You just need a 'master' signal account. The typical way to go is to register a signal account through a phone app (android or ios), and then link it with signal-desktop and signal-cli. But you can also register a new account with signal-cli (which will then be used by scli) and link it with signal-desktop. Here's some info in signal-cli's wiki on linking signal-desktop with signal-cli master without using android / ios devices.

But I'd be curios to know how usable scli would be on a device without a physical keyboard. If it's convenient to use on touchscreen mobile devices, that would be great!

[feklee]

Thank you! I’m looking for a Signal client for use on my PinePhone with SXMO/postmarketOS. I don’t have an Android or iOS device.

[exquo]

There are a few additional alternatives: run signal-android in anbox; compile signal-desktop for pinephone; use a third-party mobile linux app like axolotl or whisperfish; use a signal bridge for matrix / XMPP / pidgin; and more - I've attempted to collect this info in a wiki here: https://github.com/exquo/signal-soft/wiki/Software-list. See also discussions in the links section there.

If you do get scli working satisfactorily with a touchscreen though - let us know! I haven't yet heard of people doing it, and I haven't tried it myself.

[feklee]

Thanks for the collection! signal-android in anbox and signal-desktop are likely too resource hungy. I generally even avoid starting up Firefox or Chromium. The PinePhone is very weak. So light weight applications are needed. A matrix-signal bridge breaks E2E encryption.

[exquo]

signal-android in anbox and signal-desktop are likely too resource hungy

Yes, probably more than even a full browser.

A matrix-signal bridge breaks E2E encryption.

You can run a matrix server on the device, then the decryption happens there. Not very lightweight either though.