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Comment by baal80spam | Hacker News Reader

This looks cool but I'm always reluctant to install ANY browser addons that "can read and change all your data on the websites you visit".

I'll keep in mind this addon exists, though.

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I'm mostly fine with those permissions as long as it's a recommended extension[1]. Otherwise: no, never. Bait and switch is real.

[1] https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/recommended-extensions-...

I understand. It sounds awful. The use-case here being the built-in browser requires host permissions to all url's for navigation purposes. Removing it causing access issues when navigating to a another page through a link within the webpage.

Wouldn't it be easier (if a little less slick-looking) to hang the date selection UI off an extension bar button rather than putting it into the actual web page? Then that permission could potentially be dropped.

That would indeed work. But the utility of Vandal is to not just support navigation but also to present an alterative vision for time-travel :D.

could it be a website instead?

Then it would lose browser extension utility or in another words you wouldn't have it under you fingertips ready to use easily at any moment.

Well you could support both or make a browser extension that simply redirects there on click.

Not sure what permissions are needed to get the current url from the plugin though.

But if it's really more about a good way to browse the way back machine I think a web-service/site would make more sense. Installing a browser extension is quite a hurdle for something you don't need that often.

Too bad bookmarklets are not really a thing anymore, that would work well.

It's ironic that all the addons that I use to increase my privacy require full access to read my web browsing data: HTTPS Everywhere, uBlock Origin, Firefox Multi-Account Containers, etc.

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