Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing • Hacker News Board

Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing

#1

Post by devastora » Tue, May 22, 2018, 1:29 PM UTC

Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing
chrome.google.com

Re: Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing

#2

Post by ponderatul » Tue, May 22, 2018, 3:08 PM UTC

Thank you. I use the grayscale option on my Android Phone. I have to say, with the exception of reading on it, everything else is boring as fuck, which is great. Everything around seems so much more colorful than that device.

I'd like to see this pattern (intentionally making the experience worse, to prevent the facebook shithole effect)used in more devices.

Re: Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing

#3

Post by s_clemens » Tue, May 22, 2018, 3:26 PM UTC

Pretty cool, I like it!

Re: Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing

#4

Post by bradam » Tue, May 22, 2018, 3:39 PM UTC

Super useful, thank you! Is there anything like that for Safari?

Re: Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing

#5

Post by devastora » Tue, May 22, 2018, 3:47 PM UTC

ponderatul wrote: post #2

Thank you. I use the grayscale option on my Android Phone. I have to say, with the exception of reading on it, everything else is boring as fuck, which is great. Everything around seems so much more colorful than that device. I'd like to see this pattern (intentionally making the experience worse, to prevent the facebook shithole effect)used in more devices.

Thanks! I'm glad you like it. I started using the grayscale option on my iPhone a while back and found the same thing. Sites were suddenly way less engaging. It almost felt like going through withdrawal after using it for a few days.

Have you heard about the upcoming Android P? It's got a lot of tools to help you control your browsing, looks pretty helpful - https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/8/17327302/android-p-update-...

Re: Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing

#6

Post by devastora » Tue, May 22, 2018, 3:50 PM UTC

bradam wrote: post #4

Super useful, thank you! Is there anything like that for Safari?

Thanks! I took a quick look and it doesn't seem like there's any plugins out there for grayscaling in Safari right now.

If you're talking about mobile safari though, you can do it on an OS level and toggle it by pressing the home button three times in a row - https://www.ped30.com/2018/01/13/apple-iphone-gray/

Re: Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing

#7

Post by ccccccccccccnrd » Tue, May 22, 2018, 3:58 PM UTC

Very interesting approach. Could you elaborate on what you mean with 'avoid mindless browsing'? Thanks!

Re: Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing

#8

Post by daft300punk » Tue, May 22, 2018, 3:59 PM UTC

Seems very useful, thanks. Curious how it affects cpu usage. Would be cool if you can explain how it works. I can see even the gifs and videos(which I think makes this even more useful) are rendered black & white.

Re: Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing

#9

Post by ktosobcy » Tue, May 22, 2018, 3:59 PM UTC

Anything similar for Firefox?

Re: Show HN: Grayscale the Web – A Chrome extension to help avoid mindless browsing

#10

Post by pietroglyph » Tue, May 22, 2018, 4:05 PM UTC

For Firefox you can use the Stylish addon and "filter: grayscale(100%)" for similar effect.