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> Stop using Google Chrome, and install another browser As a thought experiment, i've wondered what would happen if webdevs started to add those ugly "This web

> Stop using Google Chrome, and install another browser As a thought experiment, i've wondered what would happen if webdevs started to add those ugly "This website does not support Chrome, please install [Firefox](...) for the best experience." Does Chrome have the branding to sustain it? Would the websites take the traffic hit? If trends continue as they have the last 5+ years, it may be a test worth running.

eertami 6y ago
>As a thought experiment, i've wondered what would happen if webdevs started to add those ugly "This website does not support Chrome, please install [Firefox](...) for the best experience." I use Chrome for exactly one reason: adding shortcuts to websites as an app. Firefox at one point had (very broken) support for this, but they've since removed it (on desktop, it's still possible on the mobile app). It is simply untrue that Firefox gives me the best experience. If you're going to block Chrome because of web privacy ideology, then just say that. Don't lie to your visitors. Telling me Chrome "isn't supported" is obvious hogwash. Instead you should tell me that you have blocked it, and why you have blocked it, and maybe then I would consider opening your page in another browser. Strong arming users with false pretenses is deplorable, no matter which side is doing it.
- why_Mr_Anderson 6y ago
  Wait, you are using shortcuts instead of bookmarks or just keeping the tabs opened and that is the reason to use Chrome? That's one of the most unique reasons for keeping using certain browser I've even seen.
  - eertami 6y ago
    I don't think keeping app shortcuts for SPAs is niche at all. I've seen plenty of people do it. It is a much better user experience. With things like Gmail or WhatsApp Web I don't want them to be another browser tab, I want to be able to switch to it and control the windows with my window manager. I am never closing these windows, and trying to find them among open browser tabs in different browser windows is not fun. Browser tabs are a not a good replacement for desktop window management.
pmontra 6y ago
Web developers don't make those decisions. Their customers (internal or external) have the final word on anything like that. I wonder how my customers would look at me if I suggest to place a banner like that on their sites. Maybe I'll ask the question.
M3L0NM4N 6y ago
Chrome has around 69% market share right now. I'm guessing sites that have easy alternatives would suffer, but more "essential" sites like Amazon or something might be able to have an impact. Obviously consumers would hate this but if it was coordinated among many top sites, it might have an impact. Assuming people don't make Chrome extensions to remove those ugly popups I guess.
- int_19h 6y ago
  What you're saying is that the only entities large enough to break all the things that make the Google market dominance possible, are also large enough that they themselves profit from them immensely.
- ehnto 6y ago
  Yes, I hope the monoliths start fighting and break apart in the scuffle. Amazon sales fall from lack of support of a popular browser, Chrome usage falters because people want to use Amazon, and just a smidge of their respective moat's get filled in such that other companies can have some of the pie back.
  - Ygg2 6y ago
    That's not a possibility. Amazon would only spite another monolith if it had more to gain than lose.
- ornornor 6y ago
  I doubt amazon has anything to gain by focusing the conversation on privacy. Or choice, for that matter.
- tbodt 6y ago
  Nice
bjt2n3904 6y ago
> Does Chrome has the branding to sustain it? Every student in America is running a Chromebook. Why do they need branding?
- xdrosenheim 6y ago
  Every child in danish public schools, have laptops. Most are Chromebooks. They don't need any branding.
haecceity 6y ago
Yes use edge!
- artifact_44 6y ago
  Edge is Chrome with OS integration.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
SpicyLemonZest 6y ago
It's an interesting thought experiment, but I don't think it would work. If bad-faith blocks became common, Chrome could start proactively identifying them and sending user-agent "Mozilla/5.0 (buzz off)".
- artifact_44 6y ago
  https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-to-phase-out-user-agent-strings-in-chrome/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-to-phase-out-user-agent...
boobsbr 6y ago
Well, when I saw sites that didn't work properly on Chrome because they were tailored to IE/Edge, or went out to of their way to inconvenience me about it, I just stopped browsing them. Or disabled all scripts and blocked cookies, or wrote a filter on uBlock. I don't think sites want to risk losing users because of the the browser they use. Competition is brutal out there.

eertami 6y ago

>As a thought experiment, i've wondered what would happen if webdevs started to add those ugly "This website does not support Chrome, please install [Firefox](...) for the best experience." I use Chrome for exactly one reason: adding shortcuts to websites as an app. Firefox at one point had (very broken) support for this, but they've since removed it (on desktop, it's still possible on the mobile app). It is simply untrue that Firefox gives me the best experience. If you're going to block Chrome because of web privacy ideology, then just say that. Don't lie to your visitors. Telling me Chrome "isn't supported" is obvious hogwash. Instead you should tell me that you have blocked it, and why you have blocked it, and maybe then I would consider opening your page in another browser. Strong arming users with false pretenses is deplorable, no matter which side is doing it.

why_Mr_Anderson 6y ago
Wait, you are using shortcuts instead of bookmarks or just keeping the tabs opened and that is the reason to use Chrome? That's one of the most unique reasons for keeping using certain browser I've even seen.
- eertami 6y ago
  I don't think keeping app shortcuts for SPAs is niche at all. I've seen plenty of people do it. It is a much better user experience. With things like Gmail or WhatsApp Web I don't want them to be another browser tab, I want to be able to switch to it and control the windows with my window manager. I am never closing these windows, and trying to find them among open browser tabs in different browser windows is not fun. Browser tabs are a not a good replacement for desktop window management.

pmontra 6y ago

Web developers don't make those decisions. Their customers (internal or external) have the final word on anything like that. I wonder how my customers would look at me if I suggest to place a banner like that on their sites. Maybe I'll ask the question.

M3L0NM4N 6y ago

Chrome has around 69% market share right now. I'm guessing sites that have easy alternatives would suffer, but more "essential" sites like Amazon or something might be able to have an impact. Obviously consumers would hate this but if it was coordinated among many top sites, it might have an impact. Assuming people don't make Chrome extensions to remove those ugly popups I guess.

int_19h 6y ago
What you're saying is that the only entities large enough to break all the things that make the Google market dominance possible, are also large enough that they themselves profit from them immensely.
ehnto 6y ago
Yes, I hope the monoliths start fighting and break apart in the scuffle. Amazon sales fall from lack of support of a popular browser, Chrome usage falters because people want to use Amazon, and just a smidge of their respective moat's get filled in such that other companies can have some of the pie back.
- Ygg2 6y ago
  That's not a possibility. Amazon would only spite another monolith if it had more to gain than lose.
ornornor 6y ago
I doubt amazon has anything to gain by focusing the conversation on privacy. Or choice, for that matter.
tbodt 6y ago
Nice

bjt2n3904 6y ago

> Does Chrome has the branding to sustain it? Every student in America is running a Chromebook. Why do they need branding?

xdrosenheim 6y ago
Every child in danish public schools, have laptops. Most are Chromebooks. They don't need any branding.

haecceity 6y ago

Yes use edge!

artifact_44 6y ago
Edge is Chrome with OS integration.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

SpicyLemonZest 6y ago

It's an interesting thought experiment, but I don't think it would work. If bad-faith blocks became common, Chrome could start proactively identifying them and sending user-agent "Mozilla/5.0 (buzz off)".

artifact_44 6y ago
https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-to-phase-out-user-agent-strings-in-chrome/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-to-phase-out-user-agent...

boobsbr 6y ago

Well, when I saw sites that didn't work properly on Chrome because they were tailored to IE/Edge, or went out to of their way to inconvenience me about it, I just stopped browsing them. Or disabled all scripts and blocked cookies, or wrote a filter on uBlock. I don't think sites want to risk losing users because of the the browser they use. Competition is brutal out there.