[squarefoot]

"Signal forces users to use phone numbers"

Which is number one reason why I'm not even considering it

"some people don't like this because they want to use multiple ephemeral usernames"

That's not my reason: I don't want people I don't know to get my phone number through other people I know and trust, but are used to share everything online. Of course that would be possible without any social application as well, though using one makes it much more natural.

Then this one from their site: "Multiple mobile devices and Android tablets are not currently supported"

Triple facepalm here: this makes it even worse than Whatsapp I use (read: am forced to use) on an old tablet. Whatsapp sucks badly just at everything (didn't I write I'm forced to use it?) but at least I can read what I write.

Downvotes welcome, though advice on secure+open alternatives that don't assume I have a smartphone (I haven't one and don't plan to) would be more informative.

[unsignedint]

The day I would be comfortable giving out my phone number to stranger is when it becomes mandatory to whitelist all callers, much like how just about any non-PSTN systems work.

Maybe this is because of the social expectations of that it will work without such overhead but I just simply can't notice how all the "countermeasures" phone industry (and governments as this is a heavily regulated industry) are ignorance to elephant in the room...