3 ms·

A long overdue outcome of this new W3C disaster is the realization that the consumer or the general public doesn't sit at the table when it comes to shape the W

A long overdue outcome of this new W3C disaster is the realization that the consumer or the general public doesn't sit at the table when it comes to shape the Web's destiny. Self-proclaimed "standard bodies" W3C and WHATWG have failed to address the Web's rampant problems: privacy enforcement standards (or lack thereof), and oligopolistic or even monopolistic concentration of large parts of the web infrastructure in the hands of Google, Facebook, Cloudflare, and very few others, with a lack of incentive to do something about it because of W3C's and WHATWG's financial dependency on the very parties having no interest in changing the status quo. What W3C and WHATWG do have delivered instead: DRM, and privacy-invading de-facto requirement of JavaScript for even the simplest of interactivity features, and WASM (even more privacy-invading, procedural features, from the guys that brought you JavaScript).

amelius 9y ago
Let's not conflate issues and leave JavaScript and WASM out of this discussion. They are useful, general technologies.
BoiledCabbage 9y ago
It's almost as if consumers need collective bargaining power, like a union. Asymmetrical negotiations in all aspects of society produce asymmetrical outcomes.
- aversafe 9y ago
  You can vote with your wallet. But most won't, because when push comes to shove it's more important to have access to shows than to care how they get to you.
ac29 9y ago
> A long overdue outcome of this new W3C disaster is the realization that the consumer or the general public doesn't sit at the table when it comes to shape the Web's destiny. I wouldn't assume the "general public" cares at all about DRM/EME on the web. Given the choice between being able to watch Netflix and not, I think the vast majority of people would like the web to be a platform enabled for copyrighted content, including myself. I was happy when DRM came to Linux browsers, not because I am a fan of DRM, but I am a fan of being able to legally pay for and watch copyrighted content. Before that the options were piracy, or not watching content I was interested in. There is no 4th option at this point in time. I think if the general public had a seat at these negotiations, there would be more support for EME, not less. I find it odd that for a community that largely works in software or other technology, many HN commenters are so hostile to DRM. Where is the outrage to software-enforced licencing for copyrighted software (much of which is trivially bypassed, like current media DRM)? Its more or less the same, to me. If you want to take a hardline Richard Stallman-esque philosophy, thats perfectly fine, but dont claim that your beliefs represent anything resembling general public sentiment, or even the general sentiment here. Controversial opinion, flame on.

amelius 9y ago

Let's not conflate issues and leave JavaScript and WASM out of this discussion. They are useful, general technologies.

BoiledCabbage 9y ago

It's almost as if consumers need collective bargaining power, like a union. Asymmetrical negotiations in all aspects of society produce asymmetrical outcomes.

aversafe 9y ago
You can vote with your wallet. But most won't, because when push comes to shove it's more important to have access to shows than to care how they get to you.

ac29 9y ago

> A long overdue outcome of this new W3C disaster is the realization that the consumer or the general public doesn't sit at the table when it comes to shape the Web's destiny. I wouldn't assume the "general public" cares at all about DRM/EME on the web. Given the choice between being able to watch Netflix and not, I think the vast majority of people would like the web to be a platform enabled for copyrighted content, including myself. I was happy when DRM came to Linux browsers, not because I am a fan of DRM, but I am a fan of being able to legally pay for and watch copyrighted content. Before that the options were piracy, or not watching content I was interested in. There is no 4th option at this point in time. I think if the general public had a seat at these negotiations, there would be more support for EME, not less. I find it odd that for a community that largely works in software or other technology, many HN commenters are so hostile to DRM. Where is the outrage to software-enforced licencing for copyrighted software (much of which is trivially bypassed, like current media DRM)? Its more or less the same, to me. If you want to take a hardline Richard Stallman-esque philosophy, thats perfectly fine, but dont claim that your beliefs represent anything resembling general public sentiment, or even the general sentiment here. Controversial opinion, flame on.