

RetroShare: secure communications with friends - maggit
http://retroshare.sourceforge.net/

======
wesley
Just wondering, are those MSN icons, or are these available in a free-to-use
license somewhere online?

------
arcameron
You might also take a look at our project:

[https://echoplex.us](https://echoplex.us)

Somewhat similar idea, different execution, and not quite there yet in terms
of decentralization

------
nwh
I love the concept, but it has a disgustingly bad interface.

~~~
kimlelly
I agree, there's room for improvement, but:

We're talking about saving the very foundations of democracy, these days
(things like: free speech). So I guess our UI sorrows will have to wait a few
days...

~~~
aw3c2
The thing is without a good GUI software is hard to get adopted by the masses.
With a good GUI even bad software shines.

~~~
kimlelly
100% true, unfortunately.

But just a little bit of patience: the more users join the platform, the
sooner somebody graphically talented is going to step forward and make this
excellent piece of tech shine on the surface as well...

~~~
nwh
You underestimate how difficult it is for designers to contribute to open
source projects.

------
baggachipz
The final killer feature for this would be screen sharing, especially with a
group. Anyone know of any plans for this?

~~~
kimlelly
I don't know, but:

What everybody can do is program any plugin they like, for this platform. So
only the sky's the limit.

------
lazylizard
comes with claws mail built in...

------
kimlelly
And to the [http://www.restorethefourth.net](http://www.restorethefourth.net)
crowd:

You don't want to coordinate over Skype or Facebook or Twitter.

~~~
wmeredith
Why not? We're exercising our right to peacefully assemble and protest the
government. We're not terrorists, we're patriots. Why play their game?

~~~
stefantalpalaru
>We're exercising our right to peacefully assemble and protest the government.

Like the Occupy movement?

[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/nyregion/occupy-
movement-w...](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/nyregion/occupy-movement-was-
investigated-by-fbi-counterterrorism-agents-records-show.html?_r=0)

------
kimlelly
1\. Decentralized (real p2p, no central servers)

2\. Encrypted communication

3\. Easier to set up than encrypted email: Install -> Exchange "certificates"
-> Done.

BONUS: it's open-source!

(Which means everybody is free to inspect the source code, which means any
potential backdoors can 1) be discovered 2) removed -> impossible with Windows
and Mac operating systems/software)

~~~
tptacek
No, it is not impossible to discover backdoors and vulnerabilities in closed-
source Windows and Mac software; there's a cottage industry of third parties
doing that on a pro-bono basis.

~~~
kimlelly
Well, I guess, the source code sooner or later is accessible to _somebody_ at
_some_ development stage or in _some_ version.

But can we really trust companies that work with the NSA to sell us the
version compiled _without_ the backdoors?

Plus, always keep in mind that these companies have lied to us about PRISM -
with straight faces.

~~~
tptacek
By "closed-source", I meant "researchers don't have the source code". And yet
they find vulnerabilities anyways. It's not 1995 anymore. Vulnerability
researchers tend to have pretty good tools for reading assembly.

------
kimlelly
Using it: People from all over the world...
[http://www2.clustrmaps.com/counter/maps.php?url=http://retro...](http://www2.clustrmaps.com/counter/maps.php?url=http://retroshare.sf.net)

