New FaceBook Group

[LucaMs]

We should ask ChatGPT:

"How did Telegram gain market share despite the existence of WhatsApp?"

I'm about to do it.

Telegram has managed to carve out a significant niche alongside WhatsApp by offering a distinctly different feature set and user experience:

1. Privacy and Security Positioning
   From the start, Telegram emphasized privacy‑focused features: optional end‑to‑end encryption in “secret chats,” self‑destructing messages, and the ability to use the service without sharing your phone number publicly. Although WhatsApp also offers end‑to‑end encryption by default, Telegram’s marketing around anonymity and ephemeral messaging attracted users wary of data‑sharing policies within the Meta ecosystem.
2. Rich Feature Set Beyond Texting
   Telegram rapidly rolled out capabilities that went far beyond basic messaging: large group chats (up to 200,000 members), public “channels” for one‑to‑many broadcasting, customizable bots and sticker sets, file sharing up to 2 GB per file, and powerful multi‑device sync. Many of these features either arrived earlier on Telegram or in a more advanced form than on WhatsApp, making it the go‑to platform for communities, media brands, and tech‑savvy users.
3. Open API and Bot Ecosystem
   Telegram’s open‑API approach empowered developers to build an enormous variety of bots, from simple polls and weather updates to complex trading assistants and games. This third‑party innovation loop created a vibrant ecosystem that WhatsApp’s more locked‑down platform struggled to match.
4. Cross‑Platform Consistency and Desktop Support
   Unlike WhatsApp, which historically tethered your web and desktop apps to your phone being online, Telegram’s native desktop and web clients work independently. Users appreciated the frictionless ability to chat on any device without needing their phone nearby or online.
5. Avoidance of Corporate Controversies
   Periodic backlash against Meta over privacy concerns and policy changes drove some users to seek alternatives. Telegram’s relative independence (and its outspoken CEO) positioned it as a preferable option for those distrustful of the broader Facebook/Meta data‑usage paradigm.
6. Viral Growth from Network Effects
   Because Telegram made joining via usernames easy, users could invite friends and strangers without swapping phone numbers. Coupled with high‑profile public channels (news outlets, influencers), this fueled viral onboarding that wasn’t solely tied to existing phone‑book contacts.

Through a combination of differentiated features, strong privacy branding, and an open ecosystem, Telegram has steadily grown its user base—even in markets where WhatsApp was already well‑entrenched.

 

[Cableguy]

Also, profiting of its lesser visibility, it gained traction amongst organized crime and gangs, with the special feature of ephemeral messaging, making tracking of such messages impossible. That contributed, in one part for its growth, and in the other for the bad pub that comes with it.

Telegram The New Frontier For Criminal Gangs? UN Report Uncovers Alarming Trends In Organized Crime

A UN report revealed that Telegram is being exploited by criminal networks in Southeast Asia for large-scale illicit activities, including trading hacked data, selling cybercrime tools, and unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges.

www.benzinga.com

 

[LucaMs]

Also, profiting of its lesser visibility, it gained traction amongst organized crime and gangs, with the special feature of ephemeral messaging, making tracking of such messages impossible. That contributed, in one part for its growth, and in the other for the bad pub that comes with it.

Telegram The New Frontier For Criminal Gangs? UN Report Uncovers Alarming Trends In Organized Crime

A UN report revealed that Telegram is being exploited by criminal networks in Southeast Asia for large-scale illicit activities, including trading hacked data, selling cybercrime tools, and unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges.

www.benzinga.com

Seriously, I hope that post can be useful to Erel.

 

[aeric]

We should ask ChatGPT:

"How did Telegram gain market share despite the existence of WhatsApp?"

I'm about to do so.

For now, I remind you that Erel "hired" an SEO.

As i know, the previous private investor is expert in SEO and invested in social media.

 

[Cableguy]

80 members by 10:00 AM CET+1! Not bad!
Things are starting to get interesting in our FB Group, with more and more devs joining in, and more importantly, POSTING!
So why shouldn't you? Don't know what to post? How about a quick presentation of yourself, followed by a brief story of your journey with B4X?
I bet we are all eager to learn a bit more about each other! After all, we are all humans.... well, except for EREL of course

 

[Cableguy]

Monday morning, just got out of bed, took my coffee, and picked my phone up to check on things...
98 members! So close to the goal I set!
What a good start!
So, let's keep the stamina up and start posting! Remember to set so.e hashtags so that other not yet members can find our group!

 

[aeric]

I just checked, it's already 100 members!

 

[rabbitBUSH]

Monday morning, just got out of bed, took my coffee, and picked my phone up to check on things...
98 members! So close to the goal I set!
What a good start!
So, let's keep the stamina up and start posting! Remember to set so.e hashtags so that other not yet members can find our group!

That's interesting - what I saw when I created the membership location page was a flush of registrations and then nothing. So it seemed that once the announcement posting goes off the landing for chit chat response dropped off. Be interesting to see if this momentum persists.

Myself - I don't do TwitFace - best wishes with the initiative.

 

[mcqueccu]

Well, I tried joining since day one that the link was posted, as at today, I am still unable to join.

when I click join group, it just shows the round progress for a while then comes back to join group

 

[Cableguy]

Well, I tried joining since day one that the link was posted, as at today, I am still unable to join.

when I click join group, it just shows the round progress for a while then comes back to join group

View attachment 165183

That's weird... are you trying to join with a page profile or personal profile?
Anyway, we have both already joined the FB group.

 

[mcqueccu]

Personal Profile

 

[Cableguy]

I'll send you a pm after lunch

 

[mcqueccu]

I'll send you a pm after lunch

Joined Now. had to do it via App

 

[Cableguy]

We are at almost 130 members, and we shortly be having 3 Admins : Myself, Erel and Peter Simpson with his software company page.

We now need to set 2 moderators, why? Simple!
Erel, as we all know, has all his clones working 24/7 on B4X forum while he's on vacation in some secret undiscovered part of the world, Peter has a business to run, clients to serve, and me, well, after 4 month of unemployment, I got a job, starting next Wednesday!
SO, if you think you can spare a few minutes now and then during the day, and want to contribute to the growth of OUR Facebook Group, dop me a line!

 

[Peter Simpson]

Great work @Cableguy! Thank you for pushing this

I agree with Erel,
Thank you @Cableguy , I think that this is a good idea, excellent in fact.

My hope for this Facebook group is that many current B4X users will talk about their projects there, both past and present projects, and share screenshots or photos of their B4X creations, showcasing to the world the high quality work that can be produced whilst using the B4X suite of development tools.

We just need to get the B4X community to showcase their creations on there now

 

[Cableguy]

As some of you may have noticed, Erel has taken down the Banner about this new Facebook Group.
But, maybe, just maybe, you haven't noticed that he added a direct link in the top bar!

 

[Peter Simpson]

The B4X Facebook group membership is growing @Cableguy
Hopefully, lots and lots of B4X developers will join the B4X Facebook group to share screenshots of their apps, talk about their experience using the B4X suite of development tools, and, of course, discuss this amazing forum.

 

[Cableguy]

Over 160 members in a little more than one Week! Can we get 200 by next weekend? I believe we can!
Don't forget to post in the group... that way your "acquaintances" will see the group, and maybe even join!!!

 

[Cableguy]

What did just happen??????!!!!!
When I went to bed last night, we were at a little over 160.... and I thought, well, things will be calming down a bit this week, let's try and keep momentum... and so I posted this morning about my wish to get to 200 by next weekend...
Forget next weekend!!! we may be getting to 200 TODAY!!!! only 9 to go!!!!
AMAZING!!!!

 

[Peter Simpson]

What did just happen??????!!!!!
When I went to bed last night, we were at a little over 160.... and I thought, well, things will be calming down a bit this week, let's try and keep momentum... and so I posted this morning about my wish to get to 200 by next weekend...
Forget next weekend!!! we may be getting to 200 TODAY!!!! only 9 to go!!!!
AMAZING!!!!

At least 6+ of those B4X Fb group members are currently NOT B4X users, that's according to your questionnaire that group members fill in before joining the group. If everyone pulls in the same direction and posts screenshots of their apps in the group, who knows where your experiment could lead too.

Well done Paulo