Web API Controversy

webapicontroversy.com

17 points·csbartus··8 comments

I get why Apple would want to cripple web APIs to the maximum extent possible, but I would expect Mozilla to push in the other direction. For every new API available in Swift or Kotlin but not JavaScript, the web slides further into irrelevance. It feels defeatist to say “you simply can’t have X on the web, because tracking,” when X is available to native apps.

> the web slides further into irrelevance

This borders on FUD.

The state of PWA functionality today, and the amount of large and new orgs that want a single super well-maintained codebase doesn't have me thinking native is the future.

Change my view?

Agreed for many non tech organizations but I believe native will continue to win in the tech organizations especially the big ones.

Mozilla has a massive conflict of interest.

Massive funding from Google has changed the org.

In my opinion, this issue could be swept up in that.

Wouldn't that make them more likely to mirror the Google/Chrome position than to take the opposite position?

I feel like Firefox should implement these features, they are excellent features that even though may have their risks are risks well understood by many firefox users. Keeping them disabled by default (and behind flags) is also a possible choice. I think features like these would encourage companies web apps and at the end be safer than downloading a native binary with much much more access to my device's data.

I believe Apple and Mozilla also rejected the Web MIDI API, which Chrome has shipped (and many manufacturers are actively using! E.g. Yamaha Reface series, Erica Pico Drums, Noise Engineering Desmodus, and many more)

Those apis are why I will only use chrome until other browsers get it together.

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