Phone numbers are so weird. I thought we were over them, but the fact that Signal uses them means both that I don't use Signal a lot and that I should probably start collecting people's numbers again. This feels so retro. What is next, actually talking to people by voice?

I mean my Telegram name is inconveniently long, too, but

okay I have no excuse and I should change it but yes my point is I'm right.

I just realised that people who use Whatsapp more than Telegram have never stopped having people's numbers

this gets weirder the more I think about it.

@maunzikation there's a way to add people to #telegram that doesn't use phone numbers? how? am new to it.

@desikitteh yes, there is! In settings, you can choose a user name and just give that to other people. The best thing is that it's not permanent, so if it somehow got too public and people who you don't want to talk to are messaging you, you could just (block them all and then) change it and they wouldn't be able to find you any more.

@maunzikation yeah, but as far as i can see it's impossible to add to the contact list without a phone number.

@desikitteh oh, yes i'm really only starting chats with people and then not thinking about the technicalities much, so i've never really paid attention to that :)