Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 and newer with Cinnamon Desktop

JaredBusch

The simplest way to install Telegram is to install it from the RPM Fusion repository (thanks for pointing it out @Tim_G).

Add the RPM Fusion Free Repo

sudo dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm

Install Telegram

sudo dnf install telegram

Happy messaging.

These are the manual instructions, do not follow them unless you do not want RPM Fusion.

Installing Telegram on any Fedora system is easy, but if you are using the Cinnamon desktop experience then you need to set up a couple things that it does not do automatically.

First, acquire Telegram, I prefer to just download it from the browser as I never know the current version:
https://telegram.org/dl/desktop/linux, but the current direct link is https://updates.tdesktop.com/tlinux/tsetup.1.2.1.tar.xz

Assuming you downloaded to ~/Downloads, pop open a command prompt there.

cd ~/Downloads

Extract the compressed file. The current version is 1.1.23. Adjust accordingly.

tar -xf tsetup.1.1.23.tar.xz

Move the extracted folder to /opt

sudo mv Telegram /opt/

Execute the program once from the command line.

/opt/Telegram/Telegram

Now you will find it in the normal Fedora start menu in the Internet Group.
If you do not see it, reboot.
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FATeknollogee

What makes Telegram special vs WhatsApp or similar? (this is a serious question, no sarcasm)

Dashrender

Just another option that many here in ML grabbed onto.

scottalanmiller

@fateknollogee said in Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 Cinnamon:

What makes Telegram special vs WhatsApp or similar? (this is a serious question, no sarcasm)

Two big features. One is security, Telegram has the EFF's highest recommendation for security. But the enormous reason for me is that Telegram works on desktops, not just phones, which puts it into a totally different level of utility. A phone only instant messenger is really pretty pointless, we already have awful options for things like that. Telegram works on phones AND desktops. And works really well.

FATeknollogee

In that case, might be better to compare it vs GroupMe instead of WhatsApp?
Either way, I'll check it out.

scottalanmiller

@fateknollogee said in Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 Cinnamon:

In that case, might be better to compare it vs GroupMe instead of WhatsApp?
Either way, I'll check it out.

I don't know GroupMe.

JaredBusch

Obviously the security is only as good as the users though also.

black3dynamite

One of the things I like about Telegram is the Account Self Destruction settings.
https://telegram.wiki/privacy/accountselfdestruction

Telegram Settings → Privacy and Security

Inactive duration can be set to:

    1 Month
    3 Months
    6 Months (Default)
    12 Months

JaredBusch

instructions updated.

bbigford

@scottalanmiller said in Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 Cinnamon:

@fateknollogee said in Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 Cinnamon:

What makes Telegram special vs WhatsApp or similar? (this is a serious question, no sarcasm)

Two big features. One is security, Telegram has the EFF's highest recommendation for security. But the enormous reason for me is that Telegram works on desktops, not just phones, which puts it into a totally different level of utility. A phone only instant messenger is really pretty pointless, we already have awful options for things like that. Telegram works on phones AND desktops. And works really well.

I've tried WhatsApp on Windows and Linux... seems to work pretty well. https://itsfoss.com/whatsapp-linux-desktop/

Security aside, of course, that is a completely different conversation outside of availability.

Obsolesce

It looks like Telegram is better and more secure all-around vs Viber.

But, the only thing stopping me from asking my to switch over, for example, is the lack of one key feature:

Two-way video chat

I'm not sure if the lack of free SMS in Telegram would be bad, but it would need the two-way video chat to replace Viber.

Dashrender

@tim_g said in Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 Cinnamon:

It looks like Telegram is better and more secure all-around vs Viber.

But, the only thing stopping me from asking my to switch over, for example, is the lack of one key feature:

Two-way video chat

I'm not sure if the lack of free SMS in Telegram would be bad, but it would need the two-way video chat to replace Viber.

Curious - who are you video chatting with?

gjacobse

@dashrender said in Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 Cinnamon:

@tim_g said in Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 Cinnamon:

It looks like Telegram is better and more secure all-around vs Viber.

But, the only thing stopping me from asking my to switch over, for example, is the lack of one key feature:

Two-way video chat

I'm not sure if the lack of free SMS in Telegram would be bad, but it would need the two-way video chat to replace Viber.

Curious - who are you video chatting with?

NTG Core will do a 'video chat' for the screen share..

Obsolesce

@dashrender said in Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 Cinnamon:

@tim_g said in Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 Cinnamon:

It looks like Telegram is better and more secure all-around vs Viber.

But, the only thing stopping me from asking my to switch over, for example, is the lack of one key feature:

Two-way video chat

I'm not sure if the lack of free SMS in Telegram would be bad, but it would need the two-way video chat to replace Viber.

Curious - who are you video chatting with?

It's mostly my wife and daughter with her family/friends in Sweden.

JaredBusch

Instructions still valid for Fedora 27.

bigbear

If security is actually a concern everyone should check out Signal. It uses double ratchet and does not store your messages. The apps now have group chat, group video chat, disappearing messages, its completely open source and they now have desktop apps, not just the browser apps.

There is now desktop apps for WIndows, Mac, and Debian based Linux or any distro that supports APT, though I havent tried it. So I dont know about how it would work on Fedora

WhatsApp and Facebook secret chats use Signal protocol. Telegram still stores your messages by default in clear text on their servers, and even when using secret chat the encryption model is not nearly as sound as Signal protocol.

NerdyDad

My wife and I and some family uses Signal.

Dashrender

I've been considering Signal - now the question is - can I get all the ML users to move away from Telegram?

Obsolesce

@dashrender said in Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 and newer with Cinnamon Desktop:

I've been considering Signal - now the question is - can I get all the ML users to move away from Telegram?

It looks like a good Viber replacement. I'm game to try it in my family.

bigbear

@dashrender said in Install Telegram Desktop on Fedora 26 and newer with Cinnamon Desktop:

I've been considering Signal - now the question is - can I get all the ML users to move away from Telegram?

The double ratchet method provides error correcting encryption. Even if a key/session is compromised (unlikely) it is resolved withing the next transaction.

There are group chats now and the apps have really came along. Should start another Signal thread for anyone who wants to add each other