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Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

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Re: Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

#91
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They really had an opportunity to capture significant market share and they ruined it. Their interface also doesn’t work without javascript. What a shame.

Why would they have to make their interface work without JavaScript? The few people who block JavaScript for sure know how to enable JavaScript again. And if they block JavaScript for security and trust reasons, well, they are going to download software from gitlab and run it anyway.

Delivering STATIC DOCUMENTS via dynamic javascript apps running on top of http is the quintessential caricature of overengineering.

Re: Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

#92
post #83

The easiest way to bypass paywalls is to just disable JavaScript for the site. It works pretty much everywhere I've tried it except for the WSJ, which I suspect this extension doesn't work for either. Edit: or, maybe it does. I see WSJ.com in the config, with a referrer as drugereport and user agent as Google not to get around it.

it works on WSJ, I use it for that site. for some bypasses, it doesn't "just load the page" but rather pops up a link to archive.ph or similar to pull the article, still convenient I also point out there is "bypass paywalls" and "bypass paywalls clean", kind of similar to the uBlock family with "uBlock origin" being the "good guy" edition

Some WSJ articles work and some don't for me. I think the difference may be opinion pieces.

Re: Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

#93
post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know about this project, but some projects fled GitHub on principle, when they sold out to MS. If this project were, say, an adtech company, or someone publishing open source solely for resume-boosting reasons, then principles might not matter.

i dont understand this principle at all, mind explaining what is the problem with MS owning github?

https://jacquesmattheij.com/what-is-wrong-with-microsoft-buy...

Re: Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

#94
post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would they have to make their interface work without JavaScript? The few people who block JavaScript for sure know how to enable JavaScript again. And if they block JavaScript for security and trust reasons, well, they are going to download software from gitlab and run it anyway.

Delivering STATIC DOCUMENTS via dynamic javascript apps running on top of http is the quintessential caricature of overengineering.

I would argue that gitlab.com is a bit more than a collection of static documents that could be delivered over gopher too.

Re: Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

#95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would they have to make their interface work without JavaScript? The few people who block JavaScript for sure know how to enable JavaScript again. And if they block JavaScript for security and trust reasons, well, they are going to download software from gitlab and run it anyway.

This is the attitude that has ruined the entire web. The real question should be: why is JavaScript necessary and what does it add? (In the majority of applications, absolutely nothing.)

It adds interactivity and dynamic features that would be pretty slow or very challenging to implement in pure HTML/CSS.

Re: Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

#96
post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

it works on WSJ, I use it for that site. for some bypasses, it doesn't "just load the page" but rather pops up a link to archive.ph or similar to pull the article, still convenient I also point out there is "bypass paywalls" and "bypass paywalls clean", kind of similar to the uBlock family with "uBlock origin" being the "good guy" edition

Some WSJ articles work and some don't for me. I think the difference may be opinion pieces.

Not sure about WSJ, but in some cases the extension fetches the content from archive today and inserts it into the displayed website tab.

If there is no mirror on archive today, the extension cannot insert it.

Re: Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

#97

Archived copy that's newer than others mentioned: https://archive.softwareheritage.org/browse/origin/directory... Tip revision: 1c8f71997c1fb3b3f60957514ec2bce1591a1bfc authored by magnolia1234 on 01 April 2024, 07:35:12 UTC also the Firefox-specific repo: https://archive.softwareheritage.org/browse/origin/directory... also the bpc-uploads (XPI, CRX): https://archive.softwareheritage.org/browse/origin/directory...

Is it possible to clone it instead of only downloading current version or viewing history?

Re: Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

#98

There's also a version still in the Firefox catalog (the official one has been banned from there too): --link removed, it was a fake, the one I referred to is gone too :( -- This is a help in particular for mobile firefox because they refuse to let us sideload addons.

In Firefox for Android Nightly, you can (since recently) sideload extensions via the hidden debug menu (tap the Firefox logo in the About section a dozen times). This will add an "Install extension from file" option to the main settings menu.

I don't know whether this also works in the standard version of Firefox for Android.

It is good they reenabled this feature. Since it is/was very short-sighted of Mozilla to make their centralized addon store the single gatekeeper for extension access on user devices. As if they never thought about power dynamics in software.

Re: Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

#99

This extension works remarkably well. But it requires frequent updates to stay working as sites change. I sure hope there's some statement on what's up soon.

I've ran into this issue as well. Is there an alternate "store" for open source chrome extensions? Something akin to F-droid that keeps them up to date?

You can only install from the Chrome Web Store. All other methods are annoying and you have to manually whitelist extension ids. I don't understand why the Chrome Web Store does not fall under the Digital Markets Act in the EU. Google is clearly a Gatekeeper here.

Re: Tell HN: Bypass Paywalls repository is gone

#100
post #51
post #47

Use DIllo, Lynx or Links on the URL's. If that fails, head to gemini://gemi.dev, the section News Waffle, and paste your own link. Use Lagrange, Gplaces or whatever Gemini client you like.

Does Gemini have any news about being vegan?

The Gemini 'News Waffle' service it's just an HTML decrapifier, you can put almost any web source as the input. Copy and paste the URL from a browser and that's it.
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