jherazobJul 21, 2023

Google is working on essentially putting DRM on the web

https://beehaw.org/post/6738148

Google is working on essentially putting DRM on the web - Beehaw

The much maligned “Trusted Computing” idea requires that the party you are supposed to trust deserves to be trusted, and Google is DEFINITELY NOT worthy of being trusted, this is a naked power grab to destroy the open web for Google’s ad profits no matter the consequences, this would put heavy surveillance in Google’s hands, this would eliminate ad-blocking, this would break any and all accessibility features, this would obliterate any competing platform, this is very much opposed to what the web is.

Show threadjherazobJul 21, 2023

Note of amusement: The GitHub issues tracker for that proposal got swamped with tickets either mocking this crap or denouncing it for what it is, this morning the person who seems to be the head of the project closed all those tickets and published this blog post, in essence saying “Shut up with your ethical considerations, give us a hand in putting up this electric fence around the web”. Of course that didn’t stop it.

Also somebody pointed out this gem in the proposal, quoted here:

6.2. Privacy considerations

Todo

So, you don't like a web platform proposal

How can you influence the web platform so that a change you don't like is less likely to get shipped?

Show threadNepentheJul 21, 2023

[Don't assume consensus nor finished state]

Often a proposal is just that - someone trying to solve a problem by proposing technical means to address it. Having a proposal sent out to public forums doesn't necessarily imply that the sender's employer is determined on pushing that proposal as is.

It also doesn't mean that the proposal is "done" and the proposal authors won't appreciate constructive suggestions for improvement.

[Be the signal, not the noise]

In cases where controversial browser proposals (or lack of adoption for features folks want, which is a related, but different, subject), it's not uncommon to see issues with dozens or even hundreds of comments from presumably well-intentioned folks, trying to influence the team working on the feature to change their minds.

In the many years I've been working on the web platform, I've yet to see this work. Not even once.

.....?
What is this, "Good vibes only?"

Show threadtojikomori

"Good vibes only" seems to be embedded in the culture of web development today. Influential devs' Twitter accounts have strong Instagram vibes: constantly promoting and congratulating each other, never sharing substantive criticisms. Hustle hustle.

People with deep, valid criticisms of popular frameworks like React seem to be ostracized as cranks.

It's all very vapid and depressing.

Jul 21, 2023 at 5:45pmWeb
Show threadrambarooJul 23, 2023
Do you have an article about react? I’d love to read it. And yes tech is chock full of egos and fakers.
Show threadtojikomoriJul 31, 2023

Alex Russell is a good read on React. His position gives him a broad view of its impacts and has kept him from being sidelined. This Changelog podcast is a decent distillation of his criticisms – it was recorded earlier this year, a few days after his Market For Lemons blog post.

(Sorry for the late reply! I've been a bit swamped lately and away from kbin.)

Web development's lost decade featuring Alex Russell, Microsoft Partner on Edge (JS Party #263)

Amal sits down for a one-on-one with Alex Russell, Microsoft Partner on the Edge team, and former Web Standards Tech Lead for Chrome, whose recent post, The Market for Lemons, stirred up a BIG conversation in the web development community. Have we really lost a decade in potential progress? What happened? Where do we g...

Changelog