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In what universe do you live that Google or anyone else should device this complicated scheme to just capture 2-3 people. Linux has only 3% share of the users.

by cowl 3y ago

In what universe do you live that Google or anyone else should device this complicated scheme to just capture 2-3 people. Linux has only 3% share of the users. of those maybe 0.1% could write a kernel module (or even install one) and of those maybe 1% would be maniac enough to dedicate time and effort to it just to "stick it to the Pawaaa" Google could accomplish all of their supposedly nefarirous goals by just ignoring the linux users. Do you really think they are going through all this trouble to make sure that they deliver adds to those 2-3 people? I can already see the next earnings call, "adds impression targets increased by 2". Notice again the Netflix example. They just don't have a linux App and you cant legally view Netflix movies offline in Linux. it's cheaper to ignore linux users. like it or not, that is a fact. outside of Linux, if chrome were to provide an API, for hardware information it can be completely trusted and even in linux case I would say that it still can be trusted with 99.99% confidence.

zb3 3y ago
> Google could accomplish all of their supposedly nefarirous goals by just ignoring the linux users. No, because in order to ignore linux users you'd need to know that the device in question is actually running linux. But then again, I can run a windows VM inside (sure, this might require effort to patch the windows inside), with no need to write a kernel module because this time I can introduce custom logic in the VM which the virtualized chrome-on-windows process will not be able to interfere with and with enough effort, they have no way to tell whether this setup is "legit". Of course this will be legit in 99.99% cases, except that the 0.01% case is precisely what causes the damage (bots, fraud, piracy and so on).
- cowl 3y ago
  > except that the 0.01% case is precisely what causes the damage (bots, fraud, piracy and so on). Thankyou, that's precisly my point. All this trouble is worth only for fighting fraud and bots and not for making sure that that 0.1% can't use a adblocker like anyone is crying about.
  - zb3 3y ago
    But: 1) I meant damage to them, bots are beneficial for users (scrapping services) just like piracy (but this is a political point) 2) Even if the reason for these changes it to fight that "fraud", it does NOT mean it won't be used to further restrict the user freedom. On Android, banking apps require hardware attestation and this can be seen as reasonable from the security perspective. But Google abuses it to insert their Adware and Spyware into the system, just like other vendors. Now if you root your device to remove that crap, then poof - you're no longer considered secure. With WEI this is about the same thing.

by cowl 3y ago

zb3 3y ago

> Google could accomplish all of their supposedly nefarirous goals by just ignoring the linux users. No, because in order to ignore linux users you'd need to know that the device in question is actually running linux. But then again, I can run a windows VM inside (sure, this might require effort to patch the windows inside), with no need to write a kernel module because this time I can introduce custom logic in the VM which the virtualized chrome-on-windows process will not be able to interfere with and with enough effort, they have no way to tell whether this setup is "legit". Of course this will be legit in 99.99% cases, except that the 0.01% case is precisely what causes the damage (bots, fraud, piracy and so on).

cowl 3y ago
> except that the 0.01% case is precisely what causes the damage (bots, fraud, piracy and so on). Thankyou, that's precisly my point. All this trouble is worth only for fighting fraud and bots and not for making sure that that 0.1% can't use a adblocker like anyone is crying about.
- zb3 3y ago
  But: 1) I meant damage to them, bots are beneficial for users (scrapping services) just like piracy (but this is a political point) 2) Even if the reason for these changes it to fight that "fraud", it does NOT mean it won't be used to further restrict the user freedom. On Android, banking apps require hardware attestation and this can be seen as reasonable from the security perspective. But Google abuses it to insert their Adware and Spyware into the system, just like other vendors. Now if you root your device to remove that crap, then poof - you're no longer considered secure. With WEI this is about the same thing.