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Another option is to create more progressive enhancement websites which work with such devices. Giving older devices new life is part of the reason I started d

Another option is to create more progressive enhancement websites which work with such devices. Giving older devices new life is part of the reason I started developing my framework. For example, the websites linked in my profile are backwards compatible all the way to Netscape 3.0, while still supporting more modern features like in-place updating vote counters and adding dialogs to a page without reloading it. And LLM use will only make this type of website easier to build, once you can ask, for example, "operator, please ensure the website markup is compatible with my particular device, which is an iPad 2 running iOS 6.0." I think we're about to experience an amazing renaissance of the Web, with sites and services which bend over backwards to accommodate each particular user, device, and abilities combination, rather than telling the long tail to fuck off. And I think it's the right way to go. Each device-user deserves to be catered to and supported, the same way we support wheelchairs and baby strollers with elevators and ramps, even though they're less than 1% of the traffic.

TheDong 3y ago
I agree that these devices should be supported, but the only entity that can actually support them is apple. It's not enough for sites to work, the underlying software also has to be secure enough to handle the internet. That can come from Apple providing software updates to the device to keep it secure, or Apple providing a supported mechanism for someone to install Linux, or some other operating system that can be updated. Unfortunately, apple does not provide security updates or any way to actually "unlock" them, so they are unsupported. Tailoring your site to work on these insecure clients is in a sense encouraging them to venture onto the internet, encouraging them to try other sites which might have untrusted 3rd party ads that pwn them and steal their bank cookies..... In that sense, it's more responsible to make your site only work with newer secure browsers than the reverse.
- forgotmypw17 3y ago
  For orphaned devices, this is impossible, because Apple has already decided to abandon them. I think they can be still be useful for non-critical information browsing within a closed network of safe websites. I think the accessibility necessity of supporting older devices is often underrated severely, while the need for security is overstated. New, currently supported devices people use day-to-day are also exploitable.
djbusby 3y ago
Had to get regulations for wheelchair accommodations.

TheDong 3y ago

I agree that these devices should be supported, but the only entity that can actually support them is apple. It's not enough for sites to work, the underlying software also has to be secure enough to handle the internet. That can come from Apple providing software updates to the device to keep it secure, or Apple providing a supported mechanism for someone to install Linux, or some other operating system that can be updated. Unfortunately, apple does not provide security updates or any way to actually "unlock" them, so they are unsupported. Tailoring your site to work on these insecure clients is in a sense encouraging them to venture onto the internet, encouraging them to try other sites which might have untrusted 3rd party ads that pwn them and steal their bank cookies..... In that sense, it's more responsible to make your site only work with newer secure browsers than the reverse.

forgotmypw17 3y ago
For orphaned devices, this is impossible, because Apple has already decided to abandon them. I think they can be still be useful for non-critical information browsing within a closed network of safe websites. I think the accessibility necessity of supporting older devices is often underrated severely, while the need for security is overstated. New, currently supported devices people use day-to-day are also exploitable.

djbusby 3y ago

Had to get regulations for wheelchair accommodations.