Because it’s nearly impossible to convince friends and family to use anything other than iMessage or “the text app” on their phone. The process you’ve described is basically akin to swimming the English Channel for the general public. I’d do it. But expecting anyone else to is just a pipe dream.

I’m already a social outcast and second class citizen for not using imessage. Asking my friends and family to install a whole separate app just to communicate with me puts me firmly in weirdo territory.

What Pixel?

Couldn’t possibly agree more. One of the biggest barriers to sharing my enthusiasm for Linux with my friends is filtering out all of the cringey anime weeb shit that somehow gets posted along with it. Why does open source software need to be associated with creepy drawings of little girls? Absolutely the worst vibes.