Say, is there a way to go to your Github page [1] and grab a project that allows me to a) build a client (I think that's possible) and b) link clients just like the browser?

Could I create the world's ugliest native client, connecting to the Signal network using my (phone's .. hrm..) identity? Is that a scenario you support (in general, not with office hours..) or would consider if it isn't possible today?

1: https://github.com/WhisperSystems/

Thus you should be able to make a native client just as well.

Do consider writing it in Qt 5.

A typical native IM app can add an icon to the system tray, allows opening each conversation in a separate window and supports flashing said windows.

Any reason you didn't just go with Java? Java isn't my favorite, but shipping "apps" as entire web browsers under some handwaving is a dependency mess and massive bloatware. Too late now of course, but curious if there is some big advantage over the more obvious options that I'm not appreciating.

1. Massive download for a simple app. 37M is a lot of data. 2. Massive download for every simple app. It would go a long way if every electron app didn't have pull in a full 37M, and could share a set of common libraries. n*37M is a lot of data, and this is one strong reason I like this Signal Desktop release. 3. Battery unfriendliness. Even when idle, every Electron app does a lot under the hood that isn't even related to the app itself. This is the cruft of having a full web browser and an advanced JS VM, but it is a cruft regardless, and it is very disheartening when reduces a ten hour battery life to six hours.

Qt these days needs at minimum 30MB for a simple window and that's a huge overhead for basically a hello-qt app.

But Qt isn't as bloated as carrying around another browser.