4 ms·

Why has Reddit deliberately broken browsing via web on mobile when it works just fine on desktop operating systems? To drive app installs? Completely asinine.

millzlane 4y ago
It's not designed for us. It's for the others that would look at it and see nothing wrong with that.
mlindner 4y ago
Replace the URL with old.reddit.com for a sane interface. Works on both desktop and phone.
- SOLAR_FIELDS 4y ago
  "Works" is relative on a phone. I guess if you have laser vision and fingertips that are the size of a pen point it's great. I still use i.reddit.com for mobile. Blazing fast, zero ads, has most of the actually worthwhile functionality.
Thiez 4y ago
Agreed. You can get a much better/faster mobile experience by simply adding an 'i.' in front of the hostname, like so: https://i.reddit.com/r/iamatotalpieceofshit/comments/uleq7s/ebay_robbed_this_man_of_4700_dollars_and/ https://i.reddit.com/r/iamatotalpieceofshit/comments/uleq7s/... . That way you will get the old mobile UI, which is a great way of browsing reddit on a mobile device without installing any apps.
YATA2 4y ago
- orangepurple 4y ago
  It also underhandedly increases forum switching costs and thus drives stickiness
fold3 4y ago
if just for browsing, you cand use libreddit frontend like https://leddit.xyz/r/iamatotalpieceofshit/comments/uleq7s/ebay_robbed_this_man_of_4700_dollars_and/ https://leddit.xyz/r/iamatotalpieceofshit/comments/uleq7s/eb...
jaimehrubiks 4y ago
Yes. I use kiwi browser (chrome but with addons) and installed an extension that redirects to old.* reddit, there are a few similar in the extensions store.
- Snowworm 4y ago
  Do you mind letting me know the name of this extension?
  - vorejdajo 4y ago
    Privacy redirect or libRedirect https://github.com/libredirect/LibRedirect https://github.com/libredirect/LibRedirect https://github.com/SimonBrazell/privacy-redirect https://github.com/SimonBrazell/privacy-redirect
    - Snowworm 4y ago
      Thank you!
  - millzlane 4y ago
    I use Old Reddit Redirect by tomjwatson https://github.com/tom-james-watson/old-reddit-redirect https://github.com/tom-james-watson/old-reddit-redirect
layer8 4y ago
I agree that it’s bad, but just FYI “Request Desktop Website” works, as do i.reddit.com and old.reddit.com.
josephcsible 4y ago
Yes, that's exactly why. And I assume they're pushing the app so hard because it's immune to ad blocking browsers and it can harvest more of your data.
- foodstances 4y ago
  And because they can deliver push notifications once the app is installed to re-engage users over and over.
  - tragictrash 4y ago
    This is why I refuse to engage on Reddit.
    - gaius_baltar 4y ago
      Reddit is ripe for being in the parting end of a new digg→reddit event, with users leaving to a federated platform (I can only think of Lemmy). However, I don't know if it's even possible in the current state of things and given the amount of inertia it holds now. At least it should rot as the new Facebook for low effort posts. For now the best way is to used teddit as a front-end (if you don't post) and Dawn (ad-free, non-spamming, FLOSS app for Android if you do).
      - dannyw 4y ago
        kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
        That e-mail fad will never take off.
        omniglottal 4y ago
        Nobody cares about this nihilistic apathy of yours. Be discouraged if you want, but it's malevolent to share this sentiment. You're wasting our time.
honkdaddy 4y ago
Our only real means of pushback against practices like this is to avoid working for companies that rely on them. When reddit recruiters or hiring managers cold reach out to you, do what I do and politely tell them that reddit's new growth strategies make working there a total non-starters. Not every company has this little respect for its users when it comes to funnelling traffic, it's completely reasonable for a native and web-app to coexist happily, even if the latter results in less lucrative ad impressions.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
notyourwork 4y ago
> To drive app installs? Completely asinine. Because you cannot do all the reddit features on a web browser. /s It drives me crazy that everything has an app. Need a pizza, get an app.
Handytinge 4y ago
Yep, absolutely wild. Apparently I'm not allowed to view it because it hasn't been reviewed: > Unreviewed Content > This community has not been reviewed and might contain content inappropriate for certain viewers. View in the Reddit app to continue. But it's ok if it's unreviewed in the app. Who are reddit is reviewing subreddits?

millzlane 4y ago

It's not designed for us. It's for the others that would look at it and see nothing wrong with that.

mlindner 4y ago

Replace the URL with old.reddit.com for a sane interface. Works on both desktop and phone.

SOLAR_FIELDS 4y ago
"Works" is relative on a phone. I guess if you have laser vision and fingertips that are the size of a pen point it's great. I still use i.reddit.com for mobile. Blazing fast, zero ads, has most of the actually worthwhile functionality.

Thiez 4y ago

Agreed. You can get a much better/faster mobile experience by simply adding an 'i.' in front of the hostname, like so: https://i.reddit.com/r/iamatotalpieceofshit/comments/uleq7s/ebay_robbed_this_man_of_4700_dollars_and/ https://i.reddit.com/r/iamatotalpieceofshit/comments/uleq7s/... . That way you will get the old mobile UI, which is a great way of browsing reddit on a mobile device without installing any apps.

YATA2 4y ago

orangepurple 4y ago
It also underhandedly increases forum switching costs and thus drives stickiness

fold3 4y ago

if just for browsing, you cand use libreddit frontend like https://leddit.xyz/r/iamatotalpieceofshit/comments/uleq7s/ebay_robbed_this_man_of_4700_dollars_and/ https://leddit.xyz/r/iamatotalpieceofshit/comments/uleq7s/eb...

jaimehrubiks 4y ago

Yes. I use kiwi browser (chrome but with addons) and installed an extension that redirects to old.* reddit, there are a few similar in the extensions store.

Snowworm 4y ago
Do you mind letting me know the name of this extension?
- vorejdajo 4y ago
  Privacy redirect or libRedirect https://github.com/libredirect/LibRedirect https://github.com/libredirect/LibRedirect https://github.com/SimonBrazell/privacy-redirect https://github.com/SimonBrazell/privacy-redirect
  - Snowworm 4y ago
    Thank you!
- millzlane 4y ago
  I use Old Reddit Redirect by tomjwatson https://github.com/tom-james-watson/old-reddit-redirect https://github.com/tom-james-watson/old-reddit-redirect

layer8 4y ago

I agree that it’s bad, but just FYI “Request Desktop Website” works, as do i.reddit.com and old.reddit.com.

josephcsible 4y ago

Yes, that's exactly why. And I assume they're pushing the app so hard because it's immune to ad blocking browsers and it can harvest more of your data.

foodstances 4y ago
And because they can deliver push notifications once the app is installed to re-engage users over and over.
- tragictrash 4y ago
  This is why I refuse to engage on Reddit.
  - gaius_baltar 4y ago
    Reddit is ripe for being in the parting end of a new digg→reddit event, with users leaving to a federated platform (I can only think of Lemmy). However, I don't know if it's even possible in the current state of things and given the amount of inertia it holds now. At least it should rot as the new Facebook for low effort posts. For now the best way is to used teddit as a front-end (if you don't post) and Dawn (ad-free, non-spamming, FLOSS app for Android if you do).
    - dannyw 4y ago
      - kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
        That e-mail fad will never take off.
      - omniglottal 4y ago
        Nobody cares about this nihilistic apathy of yours. Be discouraged if you want, but it's malevolent to share this sentiment. You're wasting our time.

honkdaddy 4y ago

Our only real means of pushback against practices like this is to avoid working for companies that rely on them. When reddit recruiters or hiring managers cold reach out to you, do what I do and politely tell them that reddit's new growth strategies make working there a total non-starters. Not every company has this little respect for its users when it comes to funnelling traffic, it's completely reasonable for a native and web-app to coexist happily, even if the latter results in less lucrative ad impressions.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

notyourwork 4y ago

> To drive app installs? Completely asinine. Because you cannot do all the reddit features on a web browser. /s It drives me crazy that everything has an app. Need a pizza, get an app.

Handytinge 4y ago

Yep, absolutely wild. Apparently I'm not allowed to view it because it hasn't been reviewed: > Unreviewed Content > This community has not been reviewed and might contain content inappropriate for certain viewers. View in the Reddit app to continue. But it's ok if it's unreviewed in the app. Who are reddit is reviewing subreddits?