Google owes its existence to the open web, but today, its technological “innovations” have much to do with locking users into a “walled garden.” The latest of these is “reCAPTCHA Mobile Verification,” an experimental initiative that will let companies block users if they are running independent, "de-googled" versions of Android. These “indie Android” versions are favored by people who want to protect their privacy and their attention by blocking trackers and ads.
  • tangeli@piefed.socialEnglish
    18·
    2 days ago

    A significant part of the problem is the W3C making the standards relevant to web browsers and servers so complicated that the purported objective of allowing anyone to build a browser is defeated. While it is technically true that anyone can build a conformant browser, it is practically impossible for anyone without the resources of companies like Google, Apple and Microsoft to keep up. New, independent implementations are almost impossible due to the technical complexity and the anti-competitive practices of the incumbents.

    According to this report:

    As of 2026, three engines account for virtually all browser rendering globally.

    Those are: Blink, WebKit and Gecko

    What’s needed is new standards that restore the practical possibility for others to develop a compatible browser. That would help resolve or avoid this problem and many other problems that are similarly rooted in vendors attempting to control the user’s data and experience.

    • Zarobi@aussie.zoneEnglish
      5·
      1 day ago

      Don’t forget proprietary features like DRM video that is actually completely impossible for anyone new since only Google etc have the licence to implement those technologies

    • CeeBee_Eh
      1·
      1 day ago

      Those are: Blink, WebKit and Gecko

      Ladybird enters the chat

      • tangeli@piefed.socialEnglish
        41·
        24 hours ago

        Yes, exactly. Laydybird was started in 2019 and only this year is expected to publish an alpha release and hoping for a beta release in 2027 and first stable release in 2028, confirming that it is too difficult. And what are the chances that those targets will not slip? And how much will the specification change in the meantime? It shouldn’t take a decade to write a conformant browser. A simpler specification would allow more projects to deliver compliant browsers.

        • CeeBee_Eh
          2·
          16 hours ago

          confirming that it is too difficult

          That statement bumps with the reality that is being built.

          It shouldn’t take a decade to write a conformant browser.

          I agree.

          A simpler specification would allow more projects to deliver compliant browsers.

          Also agree.

          Saying it was “started in 2019” without mentioning SerenityOS and the single person that was writing it all at the time is a bit disingenuous. It was just a single component within an entire OS that was also being written from the ground up (also entirely by one person). It was in 2022 that it was spun out into its own project because of the community interest in it.

          • tangeli@piefed.socialEnglish
            2·
            14 hours ago

            I don’t mean to disparage anyone’s efforts. I linked the WikiPedia page to provide the context. I hope the interest grows and they achieve a stable release.