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0 pointslolrepeatlol4y ago0 comments

You have to realize Mozilla does not have the marketshare to do this. Most of the web relies on ads, and since uBlock Origin blocks them, there would be no incentive for those sites to support Firefox.

Even if you just blocked trackers (as does ETP Strict Mode), many ads get blocked because those ads bundle tracking code within them. This, again, would cause there to be little to no incentive for most website owners to support Firefox.

What Mozilla is currently doing makes sense. They are being lax on the standard setting so that websites can still make ad revenue and have an incentive to support the browser.

If Firefox had a lot more marketshare, it might have been possible that this could slide.

0 comments

apostacy4y ago

I would assert that the exact opposite is true. Taking a strong stand in favor of users would increase their market share.

Over a decade ago, one of the best things that Firefox did to compete against IE6 was to include a built in popup blocker that was on by default. Exactly the same criticisms were made.

It was called irresponsible and disruptive, since so much revenue came from popups, and horrible flash-based full screen pop-under ads. But I am glad that Firefox didn't let the pleas of the established market prevent them from siding with users.

lolrepeatlolOP4y ago

Over a decade ago, it was also possible to start a new browser engine from scratch. Now since the web is so complex, it's virtually impossible to make one nowadays.

I don't think you can compare the web of a decade ago to the web of now.

apostacy4y ago

The problem is essentially the same. I did not say they should start a new browser engine. I think that if Mozilla was as willing to take risks as they were before, they would win over users. The difference is that before they were willing to risk annoying the big fish. Now they are afraid of upsetting Netflix or Google.

And I don't think they will be able to make progress if they refuse to challenge existing web technologies. They could do it, but they won't.

In fact, Mozilla seems terrified of losing favor with any of the major platforms. Which means that they are beholden to them.

Nextgrid4y ago

Outside of media heavy applications such as video conferencing software, do websites explicitly do specific things to “support” Firefox beyond complying with the specs?

> many ads get blocked because those ads bundle tracking code within them

uBlock filter lists can provide fallback shims that would be loaded in place of ad scripts to deal with this exact problem. The shim implements a neutered version of the original script so that all the surrounding (non-malicious) code can continue to run without errors.

lolrepeatlolOP4y ago

> Outside of media heavy applications such as video conferencing software, do websites explicitly do specific things to “support” Firefox beyond complying with the specs?

You'd be surprised. Apple Business Manager does not support Firefox, for example.

> uBlock filter lists can provide fallback shims that would be loaded in place of ad scripts to deal with this exact problem. The shim implements a neutered version of the original script so that all the surrounding (non-malicious) code can continue to run without errors.

My point was that ads were being accidentally blocked and that websites wouldn't get their ad revenue.

Nextgrid4y ago

> My point was that ads were being accidentally blocked and that websites wouldn't get their ad revenue.

Blocking ads would be the point - ads are malware.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointslolrepeatlol4y ago0 comments

What Mozilla is currently doing makes sense. They are being lax on the standard setting so that websites can still make ad revenue and have an incentive to support the browser.

If Firefox had a lot more marketshare, it might have been possible that this could slide.

0 comments

apostacy4y ago

I would assert that the exact opposite is true. Taking a strong stand in favor of users would increase their market share.

Over a decade ago, one of the best things that Firefox did to compete against IE6 was to include a built in popup blocker that was on by default. Exactly the same criticisms were made.

lolrepeatlolOP4y ago

Over a decade ago, it was also possible to start a new browser engine from scratch. Now since the web is so complex, it's virtually impossible to make one nowadays.

I don't think you can compare the web of a decade ago to the web of now.

apostacy4y ago

And I don't think they will be able to make progress if they refuse to challenge existing web technologies. They could do it, but they won't.

In fact, Mozilla seems terrified of losing favor with any of the major platforms. Which means that they are beholden to them.

Nextgrid4y ago

Outside of media heavy applications such as video conferencing software, do websites explicitly do specific things to “support” Firefox beyond complying with the specs?

> many ads get blocked because those ads bundle tracking code within them

lolrepeatlolOP4y ago

> Outside of media heavy applications such as video conferencing software, do websites explicitly do specific things to “support” Firefox beyond complying with the specs?

You'd be surprised. Apple Business Manager does not support Firefox, for example.

My point was that ads were being accidentally blocked and that websites wouldn't get their ad revenue.

Nextgrid4y ago

> My point was that ads were being accidentally blocked and that websites wouldn't get their ad revenue.

Blocking ads would be the point - ads are malware.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse