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Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

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Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#321

Post by simias »

cookiecaper wrote: post #276
simias wrote: post #272

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're all based on chromium though. That gives Google a lot of leverage because every time these projects decide to do something different from upstream it adds to the maintenance burden. If Google decides to make some fundamental changes to their core engine that would make, say, ad blocking a lot more difficult, would the other chromium-based browsers deep-fork the entire codebase to keep ad blockers working whil…

Gecko is already effectively lost -- the groups doing cutting-edge work were cut back in August. We're just watching the implosion. I switched from Firefox to Brave in October and suggest others do the same. Personally, I believe Brave would indeed "deep-fork" the Chromium codebase if necessary, and I'd guess there's a significant chance that other Chromium-based browsers would use it in preference to a submarined up…

I'm not willing to write Firefox/Gecko off until I encounter significant issues in the wild, although I agree that the future doesn't look bright.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#323

Post by stjohnswarts »

worble wrote: post #146
eecc wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I don’t get is how many howl and cry foul at Apple for its Store “monopoly” while anyone can opt-out of it by switching to any other of the myriad competitors. While in this case, Google is very likely abusing its dominance to coerce the whole ecosystem beyond their own platform in their favor: if the web becomes “works with Chrome” everyone is (probably negatively) affected.

Definition of myriad (Entry 1 of 2) 1 : ten thousand 2 : a great number The Apple/Google duopoly does not constitute a "myriad of competitors".

Also apple isn't even close to "monopoly" in the phone business. It's pretty easy to buy a phone from a different company last I checked. Chrome is quickly becoming the only game in town --for internet access--

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#324

Post by ricardo81 »

buzer wrote: post #288
ColinHayhurst wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Self-disclosure: Mojeek CEO. On your points: - Our search engine works and has been doing so for >15 years. Our search quality needs improving but does so gradually. And it's independent; our own crawler, index and infrastructure - We just introduced non-tracking search ads: https://www.mojeek.com/support/ads/ - We use "No Tracking , Just Search" and "Search without Surveillance" We've been building for 15 years; her…

I tried some development-related queries that I have recently done in Google. Queries related to Go seem to mainly work only if using Go and not if using Golang (unless "go" + term is popular outside of Go as well). Usually people use Golang in search (to avoid confusion with the verb & game), but pages generally refer to Go. "go package XXXX" seems to work better in many cases. With a bit of lesser known technologie…

Hello, mojeek dev here, thanks for the feedback it is always appreciated.

I think there's two ideas that come up from your feedback, one is index size. Our index is small but growing. A larger index increases the chance of having pages that satisfy your query.

The other aspect is boolean search versus something more akin to the vector space model. We've found a lot of people that are dissatisfied with Bing/Google searches tend to be unhappy that the search they actually enter is somehow modified to include what the search engine believes are relevant synonyms. In some cases, those synonyms may help in producing a better result when use of language is split between two terms used interchangeably, like go and golang. It's something we're looking into. We do value searches being based on what is actually searched for but also accept there are cases where assuming synonyms may be advantageous to the end results.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#325

Post by alexashka »

andrewinardeer wrote: post #187
varispeed wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We need a regulation that will automatically deal with such monopolies by ordering companies to split after reaching certain thresholds. This way we would never get companies too big to fail.

Then what is the incentive to start a company, grow it within the legal and regulatory framework and when it gets to an arbitrary, non-defined size have the legal and regulatory bodies systematically dismantle it by forcing you to sell it off?

The same incentive to start a family or a restaurant.

I don't know why people open restaurants - do they know the profit margins? They must, and they do it anyway.

So it must be for the love of it.

This idea that starting a business just to make money is a good idea, is tenuous at best. It's a sign of the times that people even ask the question of 'well, if I don't get rich, why would I do it at all?' It's a sign of how dysfunctional work has universally become, that people view it as suffering, to reach a promised land, rather than a calling to do your part as part of a larger community.

If it's suffering, maybe something is wrong. Taking away the idea of heaven enables you to say no to resistance you're experiencing now. That's a good thing - don't believe anyone promising you a heaven later on - how would they know and if they're in it, is mentoring you to suffer really a part of their heavenly experience?

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#326

Post by stjohnswarts »

bsdubernerd wrote: post #106
0xfaded wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also just added it to firefox. Thanks Barbara Streisand effect!

Mozilla has been playing a little bit better here, but let's not forget Mozilla could remove the addon on pretty much in the same way. Case in point: Firefox on mobile has a selected _whitelist_ of addons you can install, and that's it.

That's currently a technical limitation because they haven't built all the infrastructure into their "new" browser to handle all the available plugins and don't want to receive thousands of bug reports they can't do anything about.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#327

Post by andrewkdinh »

benhurmarcel wrote: post #315
shilgapira wrote: post #13

Well it turns out that I just installed this addon on Firefox yesterday after hearing about it here or on Reddit. This move does well to reinforce my loyalty to Firefox as my main browser. Hopefully it has the same effect on others.

FYI, it breaks some websites, and doesn't have a whitelist. I removed it recently because of that.

For me, it only broke websites when I had the extra options enabled in settings (enabled by default). I’d recommend turning them all off and trying to use it again

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#328

Post by echelon »

wepple wrote: post #209
Const-me wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My web site has no comments or other user-generated content, runs no CMS, uses no cookies, collects no data except standard web server logs, hosts no executables, and has no secret nor security sensitive content.

At Starbucks I can inject arbitrary content into the browser of anyone who visits your site over HTTP and take control of their browser. Furthermore, congrats on your site but you’re 0.01% of sites like that. Should we keep an insecure web because your hosting provider is ripping you off? TLS is easy and free in 2021.

> Furthermore, congrats on your site but you’re 0.01% of sites like that.

Thanks to the rise of the almighty platforms we've lost the will and know-how to do it ourselves.

> TLS is easy and free in 2021.

Only if you're relying on complicated cloud infra or (non-free) managed providers that do everything for you. It's a lot of work to set this up on your own.

It's impossible to be simple at this point. It's like the automotive industry which collectively decided to use computers for everything. You can't repair things yourself now. It's ironic, too, because now the industry finds itself with a chip shortage. I can imagine lots of scenarios where our complicated infrastructure requirements bite us.

There should always be the option of not using TLS. It should be first-class and not require expertise to access or use.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#329

Post by zeroonetwothree »

astrea wrote: post #291
OkayPhysicist wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a fair argument to be made that Google's vertical integration of internet advertising could be running afoul of antitrust laws, if those were still being enforced in the US.

Well whenever the governments of the world get their heads out of their collective asses and learn what a computer even is, then we can have competent legislation.

I think you’ll find that the areas with the most government oversight are not exactly the best in terms of innovation and quality.
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