Ironically, after complaining that Chrome Web Store killed their extension without saying why, the author doesn’t answer why either beyond “it was a mistake.” Pray tell: mistakenly hitting “deny,” mistakenly interpreting rules in an unfavorable way, someone marked the submission as “in their queue by accident and then forgot about it? I get that it was a mistake but it makes a difference whether it was a mistake of clumsiness, carelessness, or malice covered with “it was a mistake!” when found out.
Chrome killed my extension and won’t tell me why
41–50 of 73 posts
Re: Chrome killed my extension and won’t tell me why
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
But that's my point. If app stores are an important enough part of our economy -- not just monetarily, but particularly with regard to privacy and cybersecurity -- then there may reach a point where we need laws around their policies. It doesn't matter that Apple and Google aren't governments. Either app store approval could be done by a new government agency (after all, aren't doctors and lawyers regulated?), or (fa…
This seems like more a solution to open, transparent platforms. It’s a shame that we are going backwards: you used to be able to download software from the internet, direct from publishers with no limitations. Now everything’s all stupid requiring developers to beg the “powers that be” for access to distribute their work.
It's not stupid, though.
Remember how when an older relative would complain about their computer slowing down, and you had to uninstall like 15 toolbars from their Internet Explorer?
Protecting users from malware and spyware is a huge step forward. Most users can't protect themselves from it. Controlled distribution is a net good for society. The question is, how do we minimize the negatives it also brings along with it, such as seemingly arbitrary, inconsistent, and/or vague rejections?
It's not about what we would personally prefer, as smart tech people who know how to protect ourselves. It's about what's best for everyone -- the societal good.
Re: Chrome killed my extension and won’t tell me why
#43Earlier quoted context omitted.
Alternative! Software distributions - community maintained packages. As Arch Linux user if I found a software I like and want to help with distribution I can create package and push it to AUR [1]. This works as recipe - list of make and run dependencies, configuration, installation. Package is not safe and should be reviewed on installation. Popular package may be pulled to official repository [2], distributed in bin…
"many 3rd party distributions, by users to users" is not how Arch works. Arch has a single official repository, AUR, that everybody uses. Becoming a Trusted User requires you to run for office under a standard voting procedure with bylaws.
I've described that in Arch part. Arch has several official repositories [0] and AUR is not one of them. I've also mentioned Debian.
"many 3rd party distributions" is many distributions - Debian, Arch, Gentoo, Fedora, Mint, etc. It is often cited as inefficient but it provides choice. And if there was only one distribution it would create too much pressure on maintainer not to sell its users.
"by users to users" is general description of distribution. I would be surprised if distribution maintainers does not use distribution they work on.
I've created my own addon and shared it [0] - just a few lines. From user to users - just because someone may find it useful.
I understand it is hard to maintain community and trust. Anyone can create distribution but real working distribution is a lot of work. But it should start somewhere. I review addons I install, I can share it.
[0] https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Official_repositories
Re: Chrome killed my extension and won’t tell me why
#44Google/Apple/MS app stores are pretty much a bastardization of software repositories found in the Linux world for years beforehand[1]. I doubt we'll see requirements to allow importing 3rd party repositories/signing keys at this point without some legislation. Yes, I get some users don't always know what they're doing and it might be a big security risk, but just put up a big enough warning. People shouldn't be locke…
You already can run your own Chrome Extensions repo: https://developer.chrome.com/apps/external_extensions
Re: Chrome killed my extension and won’t tell me why
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's good because collision is generally bad for car consumers.
You probably meant "collusion" but what you wrote is, in fact, quite true as well.
Seems they were poking fun at the parent's typo which also states "collision".
> A high barrier to entry business would more easily face allegations of anti-trust and collision, eg all of the car dealerships
Re: Chrome killed my extension and won’t tell me why
#46Earlier quoted context omitted.
But that's my point. If app stores are an important enough part of our economy -- not just monetarily, but particularly with regard to privacy and cybersecurity -- then there may reach a point where we need laws around their policies. It doesn't matter that Apple and Google aren't governments. Either app store approval could be done by a new government agency (after all, aren't doctors and lawyers regulated?), or (fa…
This seems like more a solution to open, transparent platforms. It’s a shame that we are going backwards: you used to be able to download software from the internet, direct from publishers with no limitations. Now everything’s all stupid requiring developers to beg the “powers that be” for access to distribute their work.
But that isn't sustainable anymore now that everyone and their mother does all sorts of sensitive thing on the internet. App Stores may not catch any and all malware, but they'll catch some, or even a lot, and they give Google (or whoever runs one) tools to deal with what slips through. They make getting new extensions transparent and they're trustworthy.
What's missing is legislation to level the playing field; either allow alternate stores on equal terms, or abide by rules that force you to play fair in your own store, things like that. There's no going back to the 90s, it's just a whole different world now.
Re: Chrome killed my extension and won’t tell me why
#47What people seem to be missing is that this isn't a complaint -- it's a call to form effectively a union: Therefore, we are starting a group today for Chrome Extension developers to work together in check with CWS. It's not a technical support channel, nor a platform to get attention when CWS is unresponsive. It's a place for Chrome Extension developers to rally together and discuss improving the foundation we stand…
Note that Chrome Extension developers are not employees of Google, but rather disparate businesses, so it'll be difficult to both successfully put pressure on Google w.r.t. terms of business and not fall afoul of anti-trust laws.
> and not fall afoul of anti-trust laws.
Well, it seems easy enough. Just don't call yourself a union.. call yourself a "standards body" and organize the way ANSI and ISO do.
Re: Chrome killed my extension and won’t tell me why
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
This seems like more a solution to open, transparent platforms. It’s a shame that we are going backwards: you used to be able to download software from the internet, direct from publishers with no limitations. Now everything’s all stupid requiring developers to beg the “powers that be” for access to distribute their work.
It's not stupid, though. Remember how when an older relative would complain about their computer slowing down, and you had to uninstall like 15 toolbars from their Internet Explorer? Protecting users from malware and spyware is a huge step forward. Most users can't protect themselves from it. Controlled distribution is a net good for society. The question is, how do we minimize the negatives it also brings along with…
I strongly prefer the internet of the early 2000s than it's cable TV version of 2020s in the name of "safety".
Re: Chrome killed my extension and won’t tell me why
#49It doesn't matter if you're dealing with a store run by Apple or Google (or presumably anyone else): the stories are all the same. Presumably because to make the economics work, review and approval are done by poorly trained contractors who don't have time to do a proper job and need to meet quotas. And with anything security related, there's an inherent bias toward not giving information on the exact violations beca…
Alternative! Software distributions - community maintained packages. As Arch Linux user if I found a software I like and want to help with distribution I can create package and push it to AUR [1]. This works as recipe - list of make and run dependencies, configuration, installation. Package is not safe and should be reviewed on installation. Popular package may be pulled to official repository [2], distributed in bin…
Then those users mess up dependencies, or simply forget to update the package for a few years.
Then open source maintainers get spammed with angry users because of a poor user experience they can't control.
Re: Chrome killed my extension and won’t tell me why
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is this true? How would this be different than the Author's Guild negotiating ebook rates with libraries/Amazon? It seems like lots of industries have lobbying groups that represent multiple companies -- or is there an extra nuance here I'm missing?
Broadly no, because the barrier to entry for being a web developer is low, though there may be some subtlety depending on the exact actions the group takes. A high barrier to entry business would more easily face allegations of anti-trust and collision, eg all of the car dealerships in an area working together to keep prices high and keep competition out, but that's different due to how hard much more expensive it is…
Is the barrier to entry to be a web developer really that much lower than the barrier to being an author of a book?