Signal-desktop: Add Signal Desktop to the Mac App Store

[NinebitX]

• [x] I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates

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Add Signal Desktop to the Mac App Store. MacOS users would no longer need to go into System Preferences -> Security & Privacy and allow apps downloaded from unknown sources.

A license update similar to this may be required: https://github.com/whispersystems/libsignal-protocol-c#license

[rmueller83]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_App_Store

Disallowed types of apps revealed by Apple include apps that:

• are free software licensed only under GPL (because the App Store Terms of Service imposes additional restrictions incompatible with the GPL).

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/6109/is-it-possible-to-have-gpl-software-in-the-mac-app-store

The Software Freedom Law Center's legal representative confirmed this: the App Store agreements, on all platforms, are incompatible with the GNU GPL.

https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/more-about-the-app-store-gpl-enforcement

[NinebitX]

@rmueller83: Thank you for providing context. As I said, a license update similar to this may be required:

Additional Permissions For Submission to Apple App Store: Provided that you are otherwise in compliance with the GPLv3 for each covered work you convey (including without limitation making the Corresponding Source available in compliance with Section 6 of the GPLv3), Open Whisper Systems also grants you the additional permission to convey through the Apple App Store non-source executable versions of the Program as incorporated into each applicable covered work as Executable Versions only under the Mozilla Public License version 2.0 (https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/MPL/2.0/).

Edit: After further consideration, I think it might be possible for Open Whisper Systems to add Signal Desktop to the Mac App Store without making a license update, because every contributor is already required to sign this contributor license agreement: https://signal.org/cla/

Open Whisper Systems could therefore add Signal Desktop to the Mac App Store in the exact same way that they have already added Signal iOS to the App Store.

Edit 2: I found a guide on how to submit Electron apps to the Mac App Store: https://electronjs.org/docs/tutorial/mac-app-store-submission-guide

[SpacePuppeh]

I also really hope they add it to the Mac App Store. I'm surprised they haven't added it there. It seems more secure and apps there are all sandboxed like iOS... building one with native Mac UI would also be appreciated, like the iOS version looks more iOS-like. :)

[assafsch]

Any update on this? Installing via the App Store would be [for me as a user] the preferable way to go (updates are my main concern)

[4thana]

Same here, updates are just so much better when they get handled by the mac app store.

[EvanHahn-Signal]

Thanks for reporting. This is something that's on our radar. No promises yet, but this is something we'd eventually like to do.