What would it be and how would you change it?
(That's the "one thing" approach. In an ideal world, I'd replace the whole arcane HTML/CSS/JS/SVG/etc shebang with an improved version/variation of DPS)
Videolan.org should show a green dot by it's name. Getvlcforfree.com should have a blinking red one. You earn your domain's credibility over time. Browsers and search engines can be set just not to bother with karmas below 0 (or any given value).
Don't put your password or cc number into a red-dot Internet site is advice my mom could handle.
If everyone used the same video calling protocol, it would be a lot more popular because the common Joe would be able to use any client they wanted and know it would work with whoever they want to call. Like a telephone. Could you imagine if every telephone network was different and you have to use a Sprint phone to talk to someone who only owned a Sprint phone? It's ludicrous.
2. Get rid of http:// from all URLs - we dont need it - its pointless, even Tim-Berners Lee says so.
3. Make it easier for everyone to mark websites as spam and have them taken off easily (im talking about the ones that show up whenever you search anything health related and promise you magical immediate cures).
To UI Designers: MAKE YOUR BUTTONS BIGGER!
10 pixel high text on a Retina display? Really? Can I borrow your bionic eyes?
But what I meant would be built in and more structurally aware than a top-level link-clicker / scroller.
Some instructions to get you started here: http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=10966
More people used the Mail app on iOS devices than Hotmail, Yahoo Mail or Gmail.
A better solution to your problem would be for the browser/OS to allow the user to specify a web app to handle mailto: links
All of these things annoy users, and introduce inefficiency to the entire internet race. How many trillions of seconds are lost every year because of this? Do you think in 2050 people will put up with 30 second commercials before watching a 1 minute Hulu clip?
Obviously a lot of these things exist to fund websites, and getting rid of them would destroy business models. There needs to be a way to de-annoy the internet, and compensate content providers for lost revenue.
The number of solutions are plenty, but finding the best one will be tricky. It would have to be adopted by most of the internet to succeed, after-all.
One idea might be to bill at the ISP-level. Each client pays ~$100/mo (made up number), where $50 of that goes to the ISP, and the other $50 goes into a bucket. Pending on what websites you visit online, and for how long, they earn a certain percentage of that bucket and get paid at the end of the month. Users who only want to pay $50/mo get the annoying internet.
How would you do it?
The average user knows they need an antivirus program, and one brand in particular is recommended above all others because it helps keep the internet 'clean', in a sense.
-- even if this stable/responsive browser is unable to run 3-D immersive games and other desktop-like software
-- and even if this browser does not run Javascript very well. (Of course this last part would work only if my favorite sites do not rely heavily on Javascript, which is currently the case.)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1220286/Sir-T...
"In the past, Sir Tim has also said that he would reverse the order of domain names, in order of size.
This would mean that the web address for the bird guide on the RSPCA’s website, for example, would read: http:uk/org/rspca/wildlife/birdguide.
"
It has wasted incalculable hours of time for developers because it is pre-installed and never uninstalled on every little minded client and supporting IT team. I don't know how many times a great web product I have been involved with has been presented to executives who are still using IE7. REALLY IE (in general)!? How can a person make any sort of creative decision when they themselves have the worst internet experience of all?
Ridding the web of that awful browser and allowing technology grow and foster more inspiration is what we need. Without needing to support that god-awful wreck of a browser would allow developers and creatives a better space to work within to bring the web out of this lame web 2.0 era that will lurk around us for even more years.
BAH
platform agnostic content is losing the relevance. The question- Content platform will bring the change? Does projects like percolate.com prevail against social interaction platforms? Up against: blog.comscore.com/2011/06/facebook_linkedin_twitter_tumblr.html
ftp://example.com
skype://example.com
mail://example.com
and the correct servers (or aliases) would get pointed to.
The "com.google" vs "google.com" is interesting since it obviously should be "com.google" except that "google.com" is better for presentation purposes.
Browsers need to be silent by default regarding things that users are not equipped to make decisions about.
Replaced with something else. Just about anything else, so long as it's a single clear standard.
I want Star Trek for Baby Boomer moms : "Computer: send email to Gladys." "Computer: turn the channel to Polyanna" "Computer: calculate 2011 taxes paid to date and print results on the den" "Computer: show me favorite restaurant list with realtime estimated wait. Make reservation for two at 8:10. Charge bill to home account:"
I want "the internet" to be that simple. I want it to stop being called "the internet". I want it to be so ubiquitous that it's just the way you get things done. Not just a way to do things. When it finally is, we'll watch the world kick into a future we've been wastefully squirreling away in fantasy novels.
*Oh, and forced audio on any webpage for any damned reason whatever is more inappropriate than farting at the dinner table.
And even if you had to pick a single company to make a browser - why would you pick the one browser maker whose major source of income is whoring out your details?