Revision history [back]

The messaging framework on Sailfish is an implementation of the traditional model of IM from the days of AOL, ICQ, MSN and Jabber: when the client signs into a service, it receives any new messages sent through that service until it is disconnected. Messages sent while the client is offline may be delivered when it comes back online, but this is dependent on the service pushing them through at login. Messages delivered to other clients signed into the same account are never received.

Modern messaging services, such as Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Telegram and Whatsapp keep a full conversation history on their servers, and the clients synchronize messages and their unread status when they connect. This model is quickly becoming the standard for IM, as people increasingly use more devices to access the same accounts. The old model, while still partially supported by Google and Facebook, is becoming obsolete.

Both Hangouts and Telegram have unofficial alpha implementations as Telepathy plugins, but as things currently stand it isn't possible to synchronize the messages stored online in these services with those received through Telepathy. The other feature missing is Group Chats, but support for those would be a different question.

Could message synchronization be added, if not through Telepathy then as a separate supplemental service? If not, the whole framework risks becoming obsolete.

The messaging framework on Sailfish is an implementation of the traditional model of IM from the days of AOL, ICQ, MSN and Jabber: when the client signs into a service, it receives any new messages sent through that service until it is disconnected. Messages sent while the client is offline may be delivered when it comes back online, but this is dependent on the service pushing them through at login. Messages delivered to other clients signed into the same account are never received.

Modern messaging services, such as Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Telegram and Whatsapp keep a full conversation history on their servers, and the clients synchronize messages and their unread status when they connect. This model is quickly becoming the standard for IM, as people increasingly use more devices to access the same accounts. The old model, while still partially supported by Google and Facebook, is becoming obsolete.

Both Hangouts and Telegram have unofficial alpha implementations as Telepathy plugins, but as things currently stand it isn't possible to synchronize the messages stored online in these services with those received through Telepathy. The other feature missing is Group Chats, but support for those would be a different question.

Could message synchronization be added, if not through Telepathy then as a separate supplemental service? If not, the whole framework risks becoming obsolete.