Then let us know when they are solved. Until then, I have a lot more hope in matrix than XMPP. They at least seems to be making progress in the right direction, although they are not there yet either.
Signal remains the best option for now.
The encryption being crap really does not depend on the threat model. Sure, in some threat models you may not need e2ee at all but in that case, what's wrong with WhatsApp?
The issue with XMPP is that security really was an afterthought. Not only is e2ee an optional extension, but there are actually 2 incompatible extensions, each with multiple versions. Then you have some clients not implementing either, some clients implementing the older, less secure one. Some implement the newer one but older version of the spec with known issues. And of course, the few clients that implement it well become incompatible with other clients that don't if you enable e2ee, so it is disabled by default.
That is all before you start looking into security audits or metadata harvesting.
Yes. Out of the federal military branches, only the coast guard can: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act
What you say and what I say don't contradict. ICE is already acting as if martial law was declared, ignoring due process/habeas corpus. If Trump declared martial law, those that still follow laws, constitution and the courts would keep doing so and those that follow Trumps orders above all would also keep doing so. There would be no substantial change.
There would probably be no consequences for him, but the "martial law" would probably be ignored and not happen.
As I understand it, in the US, martial law can only legally happen if the courts are unable to function. Basically, if things are so bad courts are unable to judge people, you let the military judge them.
There are: https://nimbusdata.com/products/exadrive/specifications/
They are just not listed in shops for poor people. (joking)
Big doubt on the size being the main factor, though it contributes. IMO the main factor is scarcity. An underfunded large organization will find way to operate efficiently. See NASA or some large charities.
A small startup with nearly unlimited Venture Capital will most of the time find a way to squander that money and get results that shouldn't take tenth of the money.
The difference being that there are natural mechanism to correct waste in private companies, if it becomes significant compared to its scale. A public company often won't have the same. E.g. which politician is going to go order layoffs? Hope he does not plan to get elected again. I think there is a good chance, if your company was public, the sw engineers would still be wasting time and resources. Perhaps on a different pointless project.
And that is before even addressing outright corruption and embezzlement.
Yeah, my parents work for a public utility. The level of waste, inefficiency and corruption there is comical. It may still be fine for core infrastructure like utilities to be that inefficient in order to be reliable, but certainly not for normal industries.
Or maybe my country is particularly bad at running them.
It's not about being pixel specific. They built high security OS that uses HW components to deliver that high security. It can't be delivered without them. These components are not google patented nor does GrapheneOS demands they use the exact pixel ones. GrapheneOS just refuses to lower security to support phones that lack these components, because manufacturers wanted to save maybe a $1 per phone by not including them at the expense of user security.