WhatsApp

[webfork]

This program has been discussed a number of times here on the site and not in a very positive light. Anyway a Windows client is now available but there are plenty of reasons to hesitate.

Related posts:
viewtopic.php?p=76286#p76286
viewtopic.php?p=85008#p85008
viewtopic.php?p=81836#p81836

Related: PA thread on the topic: http://portableapps.com/node/36038

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EDIT: The desktop version of the program requires that it is first installed on your phone.

[dixita]

The latest update is very bad in whatsapp.. can you discuss on before version?

[freakazoid]

You don't need a dedicated client. All those clients are just Chromium wrappers anyway (Electron et. al).

Use your browser and go straight to web.whatsapp.com. I don't use Whatsapp personally though.

[smaragdus]

Collecting huge amounts of data with WhatsApp
https://www.lorankloeze.nl/2017/05/07/c ... -whatsapp/

[rbon]

WABetaInfo
if you want to know a preview of the latest changes that will be brought to WhatsApps, go to the site: www.wabetainfo.com
(WhatsApp Beta Info)

This site, despite being only for betas, has actually become the privileged interlocutor by the development team of WhatsApp and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook chief executive officer).
site menu:
• Android
• IOS
• TestFlight (infos about WhatsApp on his Discord server since March 1, 2018)
• Updates
• Terms of Service
• Disclaimer
• About

From About

What is WABetaInfo?
WABetaInfo (also called WBI) was founded in January 15, 2016 on Twitter to independently announce news about WhatsApp, their updates and new features.
As time passes, WABetaInfo has gained reliability: its name is all over the Internet and he started to fight against fake news around WhatsApp.
To improve the information service, WABetaInfo created this website in June 3, 2017, offering a better service with detailed news, finally.
In March 1, 2018, WABetaInfo created a Discord server to be near the community, including many other useful services.
Today, the Discord server has about 10,000 members, WABetaInfo has more than 80,000 followers on Twitter and it's considered the main news portal about WhatsApp.
In June 3, 2021, exactly 4 years after opening the website (that was a weird concidence!), Mark Zuckerberg and Will Cathcart https://www.ted.com/speakers/will_cathcart contacted WABetaInfo on WhatsApp, providing details about new features to come on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp has retweeted the news on their official Twitter profile the same day, in order to show our interview was real, and Will Cathcart thanked me quoting the news. This experience was amazing.

WABetaInfo Twitter profile: https://twitter.com/WABetaInfo

Even Google looks at this site when it has to put updates on his Google Play Store (Android).
Ex.
WhatsApp beta for Android 2.21.12.17 on Google Play after only two days that it appeared on WABetaInfo.

[webfork]

WABetaInfo

From the about page:

WABetaInfo (also called WBI) was founded in January 15, 2016 on Twitter to independently announce news about WhatsApp, their updates and new features.

I strongly recommend using any other messaging program apart from pure SMS. Ideally Telegram (in database) or Signal, but here's a few others.

[Robin-1]

Collecting huge amounts of data with WhatsAppAero WhatsApp
https://www.lorankloeze.nl/2017/05/07/c ... -whatsapp/

May you please check this link? It's not opening.

Also, wasn't the data collection policy of WhatsApp was related to the business accounts?

[Marc1]

Is there any recent update or change in the program's reputation or performance?
Also could you guys provide more information about why there might be hesitation surrounding the newly released windows client?

[webfork]

Is there any recent update or change in the program's reputation or performance?

I actively avoid Whatsapp for a long list of reasons and I don't expect them to change. Downtime, security, privacy, as well as portability.

[FileHandler]

I actively avoid Whatsapp for a long list of reasons and I don't expect them to change. Downtime, security, privacy, as well as portability.

++
Same here, for the same reasons. Positive side effects of NOT using Whatsapp: People contact me less often, which saves time and keeps out trivial distractions and gossip. When they do contact me by e-mail, they communicate more clearly and better formulated than via social media. E-mail seems to trigger higher quality in both, style and content.

[webfork]

E-mail seems to trigger higher quality in both, style and content.

That's interesting -- I seem to have heard a lot of grumping on how people want to use something other than email, but maybe it's *because* of what you describe here. We expect a little better from people when they send us an email vs. some random messaging program.

[FileHandler]

... heard a lot of grumping on how people want to use something other than email, but maybe it's *because* of what you describe here. We expect a little better from people when they send us an email vs. some random messaging program.

It even applies to my friends and family. There is absolutely no reason for them to write differently, and yet it is exactly what they do.