Whatsapp-for-linux by Enes Hecan

[Disco Makberto]

Hello, e-group!

I am trying to install whatsapp-for-linux by Enes Hecan on my XenialPup64 LiveCD. This is a snap app package, and supposedly it works better on Ubuntu Xenial or newer distros (and conceivably on Puppy Xenial or newer distros as well), even though I am mainly a TahrPup64 LiveCD user. So, following instructions, I installed the snapd package via PPM, everything went well, and the installation showed no dependencies. Following that, I saved back to LiveCD, and booted into desktop again as some people said that rebooting was helpful. Then, I tried to install whatsapp-for-linux given the advice given by the author here:

https://snapcraft.io/whatsapp-for-linux .

However, I get an error to the effect that there is no communication with the server. Please see the JPEG file I am including here.

What can I do, then? Do you have experience with the installation of snap app packages? What am I doing wrong? Please let me know.

Carlos Albert
Disco Makberto

[vin]

@Disco Makberto
Just curious, what's there in this app which is not in 'web.whatsapp.com' browser interface?
Are you sure about data security of that 'unofficial' whatsapp website?

As it is, whatsapp is allegedly notorious for data leak.
Don't you think this app might add an 'extra layer of insecurity'?

(Just Sharing my thoughts, after all it's a personal preference).

[snoring_cat]

My next post will go over your Snap issue. Regarding vin's post, here is how you can make a menu option for the web version of Whatsapp.

Open a terminal and paste in the following

Code: Select all

cat <<EOF>/root/.local/share/applications/whatsapp.desktop2
[Desktop Entry]
Name=WhatsApp
GenericName=WhatsApp
Comment=WhatsApp desktop webapp
Exec=defaultbrowser --app=https://web.whatsapp.com/
Terminal=false
Type=Application
StartupNotify=true
Icon=chat
Categories=Chat
Keywords=WhatsApp;webapp;
EOF

fixmenues

jwm -reload

The last line, "jwm -reload" will only update the menu if you are using the JWM window manager. This is the default window manager,so everything should just work. Your web version of Whatsapp should be under the category "Internet". If not, please look around in the menu, since I don't know if you already modified your menu configurations.

[snoring_cat]

Disco Makberto,

I went through the inner workings of the snap, loaded it up, and also looked at it's git repository. It looks like all it is doing is making a snap app that loads up a browser which points to the web version. So there is no native Linux app for Whatsapp. I looked at another snap on Snapcraft, and they made a snap that only creates a menu option to load the Whatsapp web version.

Vin's solution of making a menu entry is probably the best solution for now. In fact, it will save you a lot of disk space, since the snap you mentioned takes up over 100MB. In fact, that snap's internal browser has limited functionality compared to Firefox or Chrome.

[Disco Makberto]

Vin, I am looking for a true Whatsapp desktop application for Linux (or Windows, for that matter) so that it does not require the use of a phone, except for registration purposes. About security issues, well, I don't know.

Snoring_cat, if whatsapp-for-linux by Enes Hecan is just a repackage of the web version, then that is not something I am looking for. Thank you for finding this out.

Well, while there is no native Whatsapp app for Linux, I am thinking about other courses of action. One of them is using Whatsapp Portable via Wine inside Puppy Linux. However, I have heard this is a hit-and-miss approach, so it is a gamble. One way or another, I will try, and I will report back.

Thanks to all again,

Carlos Albert
Disco Makberto

[PipzDex]

Vin, I am looking for a true Whatsapp desktop application for Linux (or Windows, for that matter) so that it does not require the use of a phone, except for registration purposes. About security issues, well, I don't know.

Snoring_cat, if whatsapp-for-linux by Enes Hecan is just a repackage of the web version, then that is not something I am looking for. Thank you for finding this out.

Well, while there is no native Whatsapp app for Linux, I am thinking about other courses of action. One of them is using Whatsapp Portable via Wine inside Puppy Linux. However, I have heard this is a hit-and-miss approach, so it is a gamble. One way or another, I will try, and I will report back.

Thanks to all again,

Carlos Albert
Disco Makberto

Hi @Disco Makberto

Maybe is this what you are looking for?

whatsdesk-0.3.3-x86

Screenshot.png (56.85 KiB) Viewed 4465 times

Cheers!!

[Disco Makberto]

Thank you, PipzDex, but that requires a telephone every time one wants to use Whatsapp. I don't want to use a telephone, except for the very first time for registration purposes. Regardless, I cannot proceed with my tests for the time being as my laptop is lacking resources. But I will upgrade it some months for now. Thus, I will report back in the future.

Carlos Albert
Disco Makberto

[sonny]

You may want to try the free version of Rambox

Rambox.jpg (58.01 KiB) Viewed 2669 times

https://rambox.app/download

[pp4mnklinux]

You may want to try the free version of RamboxRambox.jpg

https://rambox.app/download

THE BEST.... NO DOUBT.

[amethyst]

So, what is the best way to get whatsapp working with Puppy without using a smartphone? I do have a phone but not a smartphone. Would like to use my cellphone connected to the computer. I use my phone's modem to connect to the internet but it is not a smartphone as such. I don't want to go the emulator route. Is there a way?

[mikewalsh]

@amethyst :-

So, what is the best way to get whatsapp working with Puppy without using a smartphone?

You CAN'T, Nic. Whatsapp/Whatsdesk is simply working the same way that many of the other modern messaging services are set to run. Since they're all primarily written as 'mobile' apps these days, the 'desktop' Linux version requires a smartphone to be running with the app fully installed & set up on it.

The desktop client is just seen as a 'convenient' way to access your 'main', mobile app. Even Telegram has now gone the same route; previously, it was one of the very few that did NOT require you to have the companion mobile version running, but they've caved-in and capitulated to perceived demand... You first install & set the app up on your phone, following which you can then 'access' that account from the Linux desktop.

I will no longer have anything to do with instant messaging apps.

Mobile is 'king' now. PCs are definitely the second-class citizen these days.....and it's only going to get worse, trust me. You soon won't be able to do anything "official" UNLESS you possess a 'smart' device of some kind. Forms are already being 'optimized' for the mobile networks, and responses are expected to be received the same way. I don't think PCs will ever disappear, but portable 'smart' devices will become a more-or-less compulsory, "must-have" requirement to get anything done at all.

It just shows the extent to which mobile devices have become the dominant, global standard. You can say large countries like India & China - between them accounting for a third of world population, and mostly on very modest incomes - are pretty much responsible all by themselves for the shift in standards.

(*shrug*)

Mike.

[tosim]

@mikewalsh I totally agree with you. Personally, I detest phones, and only take my cellphone when I'm leaving home. I will only use it
if I have an emergency. When I am in my home, I have my land line.