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Just let me select text

aartaka.me

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Re: Just let me select text

#21

Post by catapart »

As a web dev, I fully agree with this, but with a huge exception: clickable text.

Anything that is meant to be read as content should absolutely, without fail, be selectable and copyable (assuming appropriate permissions).

But stuff like tab headers, buttons, or even text-sparse tiles - things meant for the user to click on - can, and usually should, prevent text selection. It is super annoying to be clicking back and forth through tabs only to have some text erroneously highlight and then stay that way.

Exceptions to every rule, and to every exception of that rule, of course. But for the most part, allowing text highlighting in those clickable areas is a rough UX.

* note that I did not include anchor links; those are meant to be inline within text content and should therefore be selectable.

Re: Just let me select text

#22

Post by beardyw »

amelius wrote: post #17

We need a browser extension that treats the rendered page as an image, then runs OCR over it, then converts that to something where text can be selected. Pros: 1. safer (what you see is what you select), 2. also works with images, 3. all text can be selected

That's in Android. Long press the bar at the bottom to get the text in any app, and translate too. Just as you describe.

Re: Just let me select text

#23

Post by Etheryte »

amelius wrote: post #17

We need a browser extension that treats the rendered page as an image, then runs OCR over it, then converts that to something where text can be selected. Pros: 1. safer (what you see is what you select), 2. also works with images, 3. all text can be selected

This is roughly what reader mode is, no? Safari ships it out of the box, although it's very hit or miss as far as my experience with it goes. But I like the idea.

Re: Just let me select text

#25

Post by hkon »

catapart wrote: post #21

As a web dev, I fully agree with this, but with a huge exception: clickable text. Anything that is meant to be read as content should absolutely, without fail, be selectable and copyable (assuming appropriate permissions). But stuff like tab headers, buttons, or even text-sparse tiles - things meant for the user to click on - can, and usually should , prevent text selection. It is super annoying to be clicking back a…

I disagree. Selection takes priority.

Re: Just let me select text

#26

Post by frizlab »

amelius wrote: post #17

We need a browser extension that treats the rendered page as an image, then runs OCR over it, then converts that to something where text can be selected. Pros: 1. safer (what you see is what you select), 2. also works with images, 3. all text can be selected

Texts in images are searchable in Safari. Out of the box.

Re: Just let me select text

#28

Post by watwut »

catapart wrote: post #21

As a web dev, I fully agree with this, but with a huge exception: clickable text. Anything that is meant to be read as content should absolutely, without fail, be selectable and copyable (assuming appropriate permissions). But stuff like tab headers, buttons, or even text-sparse tiles - things meant for the user to click on - can, and usually should , prevent text selection. It is super annoying to be clicking back a…

Totally not, those ahould be selectable too.

Re: Just let me select text

#29

Post by Aaargh20318 »

magnio wrote: post #7

On Android, long press home button activates Google Assistant that can OCR the current screen and translate immediately. Unironically one of the only two features keeping me on Android until now.

On iOS 26 you can do basically the same thing. Take a screenshot (power button + volume up), click the thumbnail of the screenshot that appears. You'll see the screenshot full screen and there is a 'translate' button (along some other AI stuff).

Re: Just let me select text

#30

Post by cubefox »

magnio wrote: post #7

On Android, long press home button activates Google Assistant that can OCR the current screen and translate immediately. Unironically one of the only two features keeping me on Android until now.

I prefer this easy solution: Print the website (with a printer), take a photo of the printed page, run the photo through OCR software. As simple as that.
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