Mornin' All. Just as a heads-up, Skype is having major issues this morning with authentication. Microsoft seems to be addressing with their usual professionalism (basically apathy), so who knows when it will be back up and running.

This does bring to mind an interesting thing; I've noticed a lot of furs have been opening Telegram accounts. So with Skype not working, I thought "What better time!" They have Windows, Mac, Linux, Andriod and iOS versions of the software. Downloaded the Linux one and right off the bat hit a big wall of NOPE!

Telegram requires a Mobile number so that they can text you an auth code. First off... this is incredibly fucking dumb on their part because not everyone has (or wants) a cell phone (like me!). Second, even if someone has a cell phone, why should they ever have to give out their number to ANYONE for something as stupid an as IM client? For a client that uses the Internet to communicate, a safer, simpler solution would be to simply require an e-mail and username - EVERYONE has that, and it's at least somewhat anonymous.

Maybe it's my nature as a Network Engineer and Security Admin to throw up my arms in an epic "Bwuh!" when I see such stupid assumptions and violations of privacy on the part of companies, or maybe it's in a bit of a sense of awe that the general public is becoming disturbingly "okay" with giving up more and more of their privacy to use things. Either way... its very unfortunate.

So... I will NOT be using Telegram since a) I literally cannot use it without a cell phone and b) would not use it if I did actually have a cell because I would never be insane enough to give them my number. Sorry folks - I'll just have to stick to Skype.