[joecool1029]

> If you think running servers is difficult and expensive (you're right), ask yourself why you feel entitled for us to run them for your product.

He also doesn't want to federate the service to reduce their own server cost. There was a brief time its immediate predecessor Textsecure federated with cyanogenmod: https://signal.org/blog/cyanogen-integration/ His more recent comments on federation: https://signal.org/blog/the-ecosystem-is-moving/

Also, maybe don't choose to freely license client software and stick to review-only licensing if your intent is to run a closed service where you don't want other clients? I think a lot of people were rubbed the wrong way about the branding/licensing (Open Whisper Systems/AGPL) vs. what it ended up being. You don't see closed services like Telegram complaining about modified freely licensed clients.