I tried creating a web browser and Google blocked me (2019) • Hacker News Board

Re: I tried creating a web browser and Google blocked me (2019)

#191

Post by NeekGerd » Sat, Jan 23, 2021, 1:59 PM UTC

Thaxll wrote: post #108

"I tried creating a web browser, and Google blocked me" Title is very missleading, your web browser works and google does not block you, it's all about DRM. "For the last 2 years I’ve been working on a web browser that now cannot be completed because Google, the creators of the open source browser Chrome, won’t allow DRM in an open source project." This is crap, you should probably have known that before starting the…

The article being from 2019, I highly doubt that DRM was such a common issue in 2017, so much that you had to anticipate for it.

4k wasn't that common either. For the reference, at the time, I believe Netflix was even using Silverlight.

And Google is the blocking entity here, because they are in charge of delivering licenses for Widevine, which is specifically what you need to play DRMed content.

Not so misleading IMO.

Re: I tried creating a web browser and Google blocked me (2019)

#192

Post by Mindwipe » Mon, Jan 25, 2021, 3:38 PM UTC

cbozeman wrote: post #174

Fice wrote: post #156

DRM is fundamentally incompatible with open source and free software. DRM is all about restricting what your computer can do (what code it is allowed to run), so it can be trusted by third parties with handling protected information. Content providers want to be able to trust your computer in not allowing you to have full control of what it does. If users can execute their free software rights (modify software and ru…

>> The only approach to DRM is to boycott its use completely, there is no workaround or compromise. I couldn't agree more. DRM is a plague that needs to go away. Digital content producers use it in the hopes it'll deter piracy, but the truth, as clearly shown by GOG.com, is that DRM is pointless. If your software and content are reasonably priced and worthwhile in some way, people will buy it. I recently looked into…

> Which are people more likely to do?

Buy a Blu-ray player and watch it on their TV.

Like it or not the market to watch blu-rays on a computer is basically zero at this point.

Re: I tried creating a web browser and Google blocked me (2019)

#193

Post by Mindwipe » Mon, Jan 25, 2021, 3:41 PM UTC

Tepix wrote: post #109

Thaxll wrote: post #108

"I tried creating a web browser, and Google blocked me" Title is very missleading, your web browser works and google does not block you, it's all about DRM. "For the last 2 years I’ve been working on a web browser that now cannot be completed because Google, the creators of the open source browser Chrome, won’t allow DRM in an open source project." This is crap, you should probably have known that before starting the…

DRM that Google controls

Netflix issues several types of DRM license, not just Widevine, Google's marketshare here is fairly modest.

Re: I tried creating a web browser and Google blocked me (2019)

#194

Post by Mindwipe » Mon, Jan 25, 2021, 3:46 PM UTC

julienfr112 wrote: post #50

That will end badly for Google with antitrust in the EU and in the US.

That seems unlikely. Google is one of many providers in this space, it's unlikely that a sole trader could afford the liability provisions, and anti-trust doesn't really tend to stretch to "you're too small for me to bother trading with you."