Category: Other

Anything and everything. Sometimes politics.

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Other

Shall I gift wrap your browser monopoly, sir ?

Back in 2019 I write a post about the importance of supporting the Mozilla Firefox web browser:

I think standards are hugely important to keeping the web open and accessible for all, and I strongly dislike browser engine monopolies. Web publishing needs diversity in applications which consume, process and present the data, as a force that pulls it towards agreed upon and open standards.

https://stegard.net/2019/01/why-you-should-use-mozilla-firefox/

Fast forward three years, and the web is even closer to complete Google domination, with Firefox usage on the decline. By that, I mean Google controlling a browser with a market share close to 65%[1], and that’s not including all the Blink engine Chrome clones out there. If we include all of those browsers, the market share is over 70%[1]. Compare that with Mozilla Firefox’ current 3.3%[1] market share – and you get a truly unfortunate story. If you want a history lesson, in case you are too young to remember, check out the First browser war[3]. The bottom line is that it’s rarely, if ever, a good thing when a single profit driven entity controls important technology world wide at this scale. It takes away your freedom. The open web of information should belong the people and not corporations using the people as products.

I recently stumbled across a YouTuber by the name of Gardiner Bryant, and he has published a video where he elaborates on the issue of browser and web tech domination. I urge you to watch it and make up your own mind:

Video poster
Gardiner Bryant – Firefox is on the verge of extinction. What can they do about it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xvtz3pN_Sw

I say well said. And in case you had forgotten; Mozilla Firefox is still a great open source browser, and you really need no political reasons to use and support it.

References

  1. https://gs.statcounter.com/, at time of publication
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xvtz3pN_Sw
  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_wars#First_Browser_War_(1995%E2%80%932001)
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Other

Web Warts

Web Warts illustration
Content is covered by warts.

A web wart is a type of Modal, Popup, Drop-down, Slide-in, Banner, Useless widget or other Annoying element that comes to greet you on your visit to a web page; there are many shapes and sizes. First time visitors are particularly susceptible to wart attacks. Many such warts can be removed by striking their weak spot, often a small [x]. If you do not pay attention to them, they persist, eat page space and proliferate. Web warts tend to reappear after a few days and can be hard to fully get rid of. Some you cannot remove, and some of those even tag along as you scroll the page.

A very common type of web wart is the Cookie Monster Modal that begs of you to Accept all. Such warts offer several options for you to annihilate them, but if you do not choose their own preferred way of dying, they will often come back the next day or next week or next month.

Every day the warts of the web increase in numbers. Landing on a new web site is like encountering an impenetrable wall of weeds. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to whack it all away, equipped with a pointy weapon. More often than not, your best bet is to just leave. There are many sources of truth these days.

I hate Web Warts.

Categories
Hardware Other

EU puts pressure on smartphone manufacturers

In August of 2020, I wrote a post about how smartphone manufacturers fail to provide a long enough period of security updates to the devices they sell. Leaving the market to itself has obviously lead to planned obsolescence being the norm for Android-based devices, where it is necessary to buy a new phone every 2–3 years to stay secure. But things might change for the better. The European Commission is planning to extend [1] its Ecodesign and Energy labelling directive to also apply to smartphone (and similar) products, and with it comes requirements to reparability and minimum security update support period. Currently proposed is a 5 year period for such products, which is great news. Going further, Germany is lobbying [2] to get a 7 year support period for updates and spare parts. It will be interesting to see the outcome of this.

On a personal note, I ended up buying a new Samsung S21 phone, after Sony stopped updates for my two year old Xperia compact. The Samsung phone is too big, but I could not find a better alternative. And I will likely get at least 4 years of updates. I have no need to replace my smartphone every 2 years and contribute to such ridiculous resource waste.

References

  1. Heise online article (translated to English):
    https://www-heise-de.translate.goog/news/EU-plant-Energielabel-und-strenge-Umweltregeln-fuer-Smartphones-und-Tablets-6171979.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en
  2. Heise online article (translated to English):
    https://www-heise-de.translate.goog/news/Bundesregierung-Smartphones-sollen-sieben-Jahre-lang-Updates-erhalten-6179995.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en