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How to gain official status for Mitakuuluu (Whatsapp client) [answered]

asked 2014-11-01 17:10:37 +0200

simo gravatar image

updated 2014-11-23 19:13:11 +0200

dulog gravatar image

Question about the best ways to get Whatsapp team (Facebook Inc.) to grant an official status for Sailfish OS client Mitakuuluu. Any suggestions for possible solution as answers, please. And let's keep up with the openness and Open Source ideology on this!

Background:

  • Few days ago Whatsapp has started banning Mitakuuluu user's phone numbers of using their services, considering Mitakuuluu as an unofficial client
  • The client is used by many Jolla owners, as there's no other Sailfish OS native clien available
  • This client can't enter to Jolla Store, partly because of the unofficial status. People would love to see either this, or another official client available (unofficial client is currently available at OpenRepos)
  • Mitakuuluu is a great client, some people mention it as one of the best Whatsapp clients they've used
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The question has been closed for the following reason "the question is answered, an answer was accepted" by simo
close date 2015-08-09 04:30:07.614099

Comments

2

based on their past behavior (wa+fb) i don't think they will ever accept a 3rd party foss app as their official client.

nightmare ( 2014-11-01 17:16:31 +0200 )edit
14

Quote from Whatsapp official site: "Let's make WhatsApp available to everyone in the world!"

Whatsapp is also bragging about their work on Open Source projects. Maybe enough of right kind of public efforts would have a positive effect, worth trying at least?

simo ( 2014-11-01 17:24:06 +0200 )edit
2

I agree with @nightmare, but this episode looks like it was a protocol problem, rather than them actively (or passively) banning people using a 3rd party client on Sailfish. If they had wanted to stop all use of 3rd party clients, I'm sure they could have done so by now, and easily. Honestly doubt they'll make it a no-go ... they may not want to encourage it, but on the other hand they won't want to drive people away. Marketshare is everything to FB.

midnightoil ( 2014-11-01 18:45:40 +0200 )edit
1

There is no official Whatsapp client for the Firefox OS, another Linux kernel-based open-source operating system for smartphones and tablet computers. Instead, the company justapps4all.com created an app called ConnectA2, which is a Whatsapp compatible client. This can be downloaded from the Firefox OS app store. Surely, if this is possible, then the same should be possible for Mitakuuluu? Maybe it is even possible for justapps4all.com to recompile ConnectA2 for Sailfish OS, considering they are both Linux based and Opensource…?

Alfa2600 ( 2014-11-01 23:21:40 +0200 )edit
5

I think that WA should embrace Mitakuuluu, pay Coderus for his efforts, and launch officially in the Jolla store. Maybe Jolla needs to play a role in bringing this about.

Alternatively, WA can develop and publish their own native app...

bilgy_no1 ( 2014-11-02 10:59:58 +0200 )edit

6 Answers

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19

answered 2014-11-10 12:44:44 +0200

coderus gravatar image

It's impossible to make this application official. WhatsApp inc. never co-opertates with 3rd party developers. And client not in Jolla Store because it's very bad written and doesn't match allowed API lists. It's nothing about "unofficial" status of application.

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Comments

1

:( Sad news. But I refuse to believe "impossible", hope that we can somehow turn that to "unlike". All the best to your other great projects anyway!

simo ( 2014-11-10 12:54:39 +0200 )edit
6

Hey coderus, come on :-) Your application can't be written so bad if it works so good.

darvari ( 2014-11-10 12:59:08 +0200 )edit
6

@coderus you've done a brilliant job with Mitakuuluu, and we thank you for this. it is also understandable the use of 3rd party libs, or APIs in your code, e.g. I would not trust more an offical wahtapp client that mitakuuluu! same thing applies to other services, fb, gg, etc.

pmelas ( 2014-11-10 13:12:23 +0200 )edit
1

I agree that Mitakuuluu is a great whatsapp client. Wish I can continue to use it

Aashish ( 2014-11-10 15:41:30 +0200 )edit
2

it is a shame you have to stop developing .. will use it as long it works... thank you for your effort.. hope you will keep on developing for sailfish on.other instances

teun ( 2014-11-10 15:53:38 +0200 )edit
8

answered 2014-11-10 23:41:49 +0200

devin gravatar image

I would prefer that whatsapp itself creates and maintains a client for sailfish

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Comments

2

another possibility would be if they provide a library to use in third party apps. that way they can keep their protocol proprietary and allow other people to write their own apps on top of it. Just the same way Spotify is doing it.

scharelc ( 2014-11-11 00:26:09 +0200 )edit
2

answered 2014-11-11 02:26:37 +0200

pmelas gravatar image

updated 2014-11-11 02:27:31 +0200

I think we have to be honest, the model is simple, we get services for free and in return we give them access to our data/devices. that's the main reason why they do not want 3rd party clients. how happy are we going to be if FB comes tomorrow with a native app for Jolla and a messenger application which requires unlimited access to our devices? similar story with whatsapp client.

the question then is what other IM alternatives do we have? it must be easier to convince our friends to use that alternative, in order to communicate with us, than to convince FB or WhatsApp to develop a client for Jolla, or accept Mitakuuluu officially.

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Comments

"It must be easier..." Oh, no no no. Nobody isn't switching to [service here] because everyone uses WA/FB already. And it sucks.

hnbv ( 2014-11-11 08:58:19 +0200 )edit
1

I communicate with less than 10 ppl on WhatsApp, I have more chances to convince them to use another IM alternative. the question then is do we have IM alternatives?

pmelas ( 2014-11-11 11:36:52 +0200 )edit

You may be communicating with only 10 people using whatsapp, but those 10 may be using whatsapp to stay in touch with a dozen others... each. Its not going to be easy to get them to give up whatsapp or use some other app just to stay in touch with me when for them everything is working fine

Aashish ( 2014-11-11 11:55:20 +0200 )edit
1

noone said they have to stop using WA!

pmelas ( 2014-11-11 12:20:03 +0200 )edit

Why not Zoid^H^H^H^H Hemlis?

jzrz ( 2014-11-11 14:48:05 +0200 )edit
1

answered 2014-11-23 15:15:01 +0200

William gravatar image

Whatever there will be ever an official client for WA or not, you can still show now that you like(d) the Mitakuuluu app by supporting its creator here on Indiegogo.

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1

answered 2014-11-23 18:15:40 +0200

unlikeyou gravatar image

Just hire coderus to work for Facebook:)

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0

answered 2014-11-11 06:02:42 +0200

tibi85 gravatar image

i think ,porting apps to sailfish os is easy... i wish news hunt app needs a porting to sailfish os ...

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Asked: 2014-11-01 17:10:37 +0200

Seen: 5,105 times

Last updated: Nov 23 '14