That's the most entitled comment I've read in a while.
If you really are that worried why not create a virtual machine for browsing untrusted things.
If you really are that worried why not create a virtual machine for browsing untrusted things.
What's so entitled about asking?
I'm not demanding anything nor insisting that I have a right to it.
It's a simple request. Nothing entitled about it.
On the other hand, I find your baseless, unfounded accusation rather insulting.
"If you really are that worried why not create a virtual machine for browsing untrusted things."
Because my old, slow laptop is too weak to run a VM.
Not everyone is so fortunate to have a powerful enough computer to run a VM whenever they need to browse an untrusted website.
That's not to mention that there are ways to break out of a VM, so it's not the best solution as far as security goes anyway.
In any case, if you think running a VM is a valid response, I don't see why you'd be so aghast at asking for a much simpler, much less resource-intensive way of viewing the content: by using a simple downloadable video.
Of course the receiver of the request is under no obligation to comply. In fact, they usually don't because people like me who care enough about their security to want to avoid javascript are in the tiny minority, and can be safely ignored. I'm well aware of this, but it doesn't hurt to ask, does it?
a) spend a non-trivial amount of time creating a work around for you.
b) release artistic control of their content in a way in which it will be shown to people alongside adverts and whatever else these platforms decide.
c) a video would likely be larger than the original generated version, or suffer from video compression artifacts.
Nothing about that comment suggested pmoriarty felt 'entitled' to it - they were simply asking if it was an option / available.
I mean, it may technically true in every way, just not a nice way to ask for something. He can simply just ask(hell, I'd love that too) without giving his personal technical reason and it will feel a lot nicer.
Sometimes you don't have to say every single details...
P.S. I don't think OP has evil intention though. In the end it's matter of different perspective.
I also have to disagree with the advice to keep my reasons for wanting a video secret. I feel it's important for content creators, executives and the many javascript developers on HN to be fully aware that javascript is a dangerous technology, which is not trusted by people like myself who care about their privacy and security.
I try to point this out every opportunity I get, and will continue to do so, so people can't claim they had no idea that javascript was so horrible because no one ever told them.
Javascript is horrible, and requiring your viewers to expose themselves to security vulnerabilities in order to view your content is not ok.
We get it. 1 in perhaps 1K web users doesn’t like Javascript. If you use it, your TAM shrinks to 99.9% of what it could otherwise be.
[0] - I think the danger is similarly blown out of proportion to the harm
This includes even places like HN, where I've had people claim that JS was completely secure and refused to believe there were any JS vulnerabilities until they were shown proof.
So, yeah, my option is to stay silent and conform, and let everyone have a pleasant time at their steak dinner without mentioning that I'm vegetarian for ethical reasons and either eating their steak or going hungry.
Incidentally, both vegetarianism and environmentalism have become much more popular over the last few decades, while they used to be very fringe positions, far out of the mainstream. They didn't become popular by people staying silent about them.
You might say there's a time and a place for everything, and the reveal of artwork that's powered by a javascript website is not that time or place, but I say what better time or place is there?
This is the best opportunity for awareness to be raised.
That said, I didn't intend to derail this thread in to an anti-javascript screed, but if people are going to start calling me entitled simply for asking for a direct link to a video so I don't have to run their javascript, then I'm not just going to swallow their insults. I'm going to respond.
Time to learn self-reliance and resourcefulness.