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Comment by JoshTriplett | Hacker News Reader

I would happily pay for an Open Source adblocker-style extension that intentionally breaks "do you want to download and install our app instead of using a perfectly reasonable web browser that you're in control of" pop-ups. If I don't already have the app installed, there's a reason for that.

(In general, an adblocker is one of the most valuable things I have installed. I wish EasyList had a subscription option; I'd happily pay to help support its maintenance.)

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> If I don't already have the app installed, there's a reason for that.

For about 5 years now I've been actively going back to web pages for things.

Example: I no longer have the BBC News app installed. Instead I have a bookmark on my mobile home screen that goes to the BBC News web page.

What I've found is:

1. Most apps didn't need to be apps, there's nothing that they need access to that their web equivalent cannot already do.

2. The web pages are easier to control... i.e. Firefox on Android and ad-blocking is a joy.

3. Most of the web pages get richer experiences sooner than an app (if it ever gets an update), i.e. minisites on news sites around elections.

4. The web experiences are considerably faster on poorer networks.

5. The DNS logs show a massive reduction in tracking frameworks... even though the web is bloated, apps appear to also be bloated, but the web you can more easily control.

6. Better battery life across the board, probably due to nothing running in the background and no notifications being processed - also improved mental health as the device is now on my terms, pulling content when I want rather than being pushed it when an app wants to.

It's overall a far better experience.

> The web pages are easier to control... i.e. Firefox on Android and ad-blocking is a joy.

Sadly, adblocking and web in general is restricted in apple devices.

True.

On my iOS devices I used the NextDNS app to provide DNS blocking via a VPN layer.

I block ads at the DNS level. Aside from 2-3 legitimate websites that broke as a result of this (because they use some Salesforce thing as a part of their site or similar), almost every unsubscribe link I get is now broken. I really wish there was some plug-in that would unroll those links to their final form since that’s usually fine but passes through 2-3 bukkshit redirects before it gets there.

I use http://wheregoes.com to manually follow any unsubscribe links that my hostfile blocks.

Thanks! A web extension based on this would be even better.

That's incredibly useful, thanks.

I just send this kind of stuff to spam because I never subscribe to any mail newsletter.

Same. Do automatically opt-in newsletters really turn a profit?

I would think that for something like a newsletter, explicitly opting in would end up being more profitable, since if you’re sending an email with eg sendgrid it’s not free.

Can someone shed some light on the economics of newsletter spam?

Only in part: The marketing department needs numbers to report, newsletter subscription is one. So it pays at least one job.

Not always the case. Sometimes I'm looking for something and come across a link to a reddit thread. I'd like to jump to the app easily. What I don't like, however, is how hard websites try to block you from accessing their website without opening the app first.

Reddit hard blocks you on some subreddits from the default mobile page. You have to go to the app or go to <subdomain>.reddit.com to bypass the block.

Super super super super stupid. Like why block /r/popular from the web and force it to use the app?

That's what I mean. If I have the app installed, I probably want to use it. If I don't have the app installed, I don't want the site trying to push me to install it; I just want the content in my browser tab.

And Reddit is indeed one of the worst offenders here.

Fair enough. I wish you had that option as well. But when I already have and use the apps, it’s pretty awful for Google to break links that certainly should open in those apps.

I just don't look at Reddit on mobile.

Apollo is the answer. Reddit’s properties are a dumpster fire. Heck even the desktop version regularly starts playing some random video I scrolled past a minute ago… good luck finding it. Absolutely embarrassing “bugs” everywhere on Reddit, even before getting to the dark patterns.

Apollo is also built by the same developer as this extension. Best Reddit client IMO.

I wish apollo had the option of turning off infinite scroll.

That's the main problem I have with "new reddit", as well: new reddit has infinite scroll, so I use old reddit, but old reddit doesn't have dark mode.

I can suggest https://libredd.it/ on desktop (probably works well on mobile too) and Slide [1] on Android.

[1] https://f-droid.org/en/packages/me.ccrama.redditslide/

Slide is great on iOS too.

> an Open Source adblocker-style extension that intentionally breaks "do you want to download and install our app..."

While not an extension, the DuckDuckGo browser app on iOS has exactly this feature. Maybe Firefox should consider building it in too!

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