I agree that it helped with adoption. In a way I wish they still had it so I could get my text messaging family to use a messaging app instead.
The flip side was, if somebody tried signal and didn’t like it and uninstalled it, then any SMS message to them from signal went to their signal account that they no longer had installed so they didn’t get it. You had no way of knowing so it really sucked.
I got started with aliases on anonaddy (now just Addy). After using a while I jumped into using my own domain, this is the real game changer.
Aliases are great and do their thing, but owning your own domain let’s you move everything all at once if you need to.
For instance, when proton added aliases I tried it out. I just redirected my MX records and was done. I didn’t like how they handled the header data because it broke a majority of my filters, so I switched back. Again, a simple setting adjustment and done.
For the record, I’ll probably switch everything over to proton eventually, but at the time didn’t want to recreate my filters. It makes sense to have all email controls under your email provider.
I would add to the conversation with the questions;
Should all information be known? Just because something doesn’t need to be hidden doesn’t imply that it should be known broadly. It’s not okay for somebody to know what color underwear I’m wearing right now.
Is all information equal in value? Presuming one kind of data point is okay to be public does not mean that all data points are okay to be public. My address is public record (unfortunately) but that doesn’t mean my social security number, ID number, and passport number should be public as well.