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2w ago

Beeper offers self-hostable, open source bridges to WhatsApp, so that you can stay in touch with people who don't want to move (code is open source, bridges can be self hosted)

GitHub - beeper/bridge-manager: A tool for running self-hosted bridges with the Beeper Matrix server.

For self-hosting: https://github.com/beeper/bridge-manager?tab=readme-ov-file

14 comments

You need a whatsapp account still to use a bridge like thjs. The bridges are for Matrix which is an open source messaging network.
Beeper is built using matrix, and is owned by an American for profit company that also owns WordPress. They're hosting the bridges, and they encrypt your chat but the bridges are vulnerable to service operators like WhatsApp not locking them out.
Personally I am going for Signal (which ia run by an American non profit) and SMS, and completely leaving WhatsApp.
- Can't you self host the bridges: https://github.com/beeper/bridge-manager ?
- You can run the bridges yourself, they're open source. Requires more work (and your own server, of course).
  As for third party services, yeah they can block you but then you'll end up in exactly the same situation as when you say "I only use Signal" anyway. The whole reason people are setting up services like this is because the people they chat with aren't on their platforms if choice.

Personally, i find it hard to trust a non OSS + not audited by third party software with all my chat accounts.
Also you still need a whatsapp account, so the point is kind of defeated.
Also from the wikipedia page, the company behind beeper is in Palo Alto, California.
- Can't you self host the bridges: https://github.com/beeper/bridge-manager ?

https://blog.beeper.com/2024/04/09/beeper-is-joining-automattic/ (WordPress corporation)
Not a good sign, but I like the bridging idea if it can be temporary and encourage others to leave.
- Yep, Beeper doesn't belong here. It's fully owned by Automattic which is an American company. Right now it doesn't cost anything but I don't think that's going to be sustainable
- Can't you self host the bridges: https://github.com/beeper/bridge-manager ?

Mautrix bridges for Matrix are also pretty good and I believe developed by a Finnish person. And open source and self hostable ofc.
Edit: these are the same bridges lol

Though it's worth noting that, currently, you need to relaunch WhatsApp on a device every few weeks.
I thought this would be my key to being able to uninstall WhatsApp, but it's not quite.
Also, people have an annoying habit of calling me via WhatsApp, which currently has no implementation in Beeper. This results in a hasty launch of WhatsApp, which then has to catch up with all the messages sent since the last launch, and I'll inevitably miss the call.
- Also, people have an annoying habit of calling me via WhatsApp
  I hate that "feature" with a burning passion. It's almost always worse than a regular phonecall and yet explaining to my boomer relatives why they can hear me much more clearly when I call them has not managed to change their preferred method of calling me.
  
  I find it works well for me, especially internationally. I don't want to think of the fees I'd rack up with normal calls.
- Thank you for sharing your experience

General comment for everyone:
This suggestion is not supposed to be the end game. Yes, you still need a WhatsApp account.
However,
Beeper can still do IMessage, just selfhosted, which I think was the right route. Beeper has also contributed hugely to matrix’s bridges ecosystem, and all the bridges can be selfhosted, so there was never any need to give them your credentials, or even use their servers for your matrix host. I like what beeper is doing a lot.
https://lemmy.world/comment/15074369
I've just discussed with a few people on the Matrix chat (link in the sidebar) who managed to move their entire social circle to Signal. Well done, really, that's great.
But for the vast majority of people here, there is always some network effect that is going to keep you in the WhatsApp bubble
bachelor/ette party? WhatsApp group
kids' sports club? WhatsApp group
neighborhood discussion group? WhatsApp group
friends birthday? WhatsApp group
large family discussions? WhatsApp group
So, what is the added value compared to just using WhatsApp? You show people that there is an alternative, while still being reachable. It's a stepping stone that hopefully will motivate people to leave WhatsApp. And hopefully, more and more people will do overtime.

14 comments