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Comment by jbombadil | Hacker News Reader

As a consumer, I understand the need of a native app for something that is performance intensive or that requires a level of OS access that the website doesn’t provide.

OTOH, in tired of everyone pushing apps that could easily be a website.

I had an xfinity technician aggressively pushing me to install their xfi app when they came to install the service. They told me it was the only good way to configure the WiFi (!) and that they had to check a task in their technician to do list that they “walked the consumer through installing the app”.

Horrible consumer experience. Between the borderline lies and the nefarious push for the app, if I had had any other choice I would have rejected the installation on the spot. But alas xfinity was literally the only provider that could offer service with any decent speed.

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I don't think it has anything to do with performance. Apps make it far easier to advertise to users.

You can send the users a notification even when they aren't using the app

It's much harder or impossible for users to block in-app advertising

It's easier to track users via apps, and your tracking data will be richer, more accurate and therefore more valuable.

Until this changes, we'll get stupid apps that should have been websites.

> Apps make it far easier to advertise to users.

And to obstruct users e.g. from screenshotting content such as my bank transaction data.

Also, the majority of users are going to search Google for the website they want, rather than enter a url directly. An app avoids exposing the user to competitor's ads.

Both major app stores have similar ads. I don't see the difference. Maybe they could provide a URL and QR code and go straight to the site without depending on third parties.

This reminds me of aggressive technicians trying to convince me to install their bloatware on my computer in order to complete setting up internet connectivity 20+ years ago. One was completely baffled by my insistence that he was not going to be touching my computer, makes me laugh now.

> aggressive technicians trying to convince me to install their bloatware on my computer

I still remember the look on the tech's face back around 2002 when he saw a text login prompt on my FreeBSD box.

Definitely not necessary for internet service alone. You also don't need their modem. Just buy your own. Cheaper in the long run and a bit more control over the device. Never had a tech push me into installing anything either.

But, I guess if you're paying for one for one of their all-in-one packages where the service is managing voip/streaming/tv/internet I guess I can see their equipment and management tool might be necessary. Wouldn't know, have avoided all that. Try to keep them just as an ISP.

It has been crazy since before apps were 'apps.' It is a simple flow chart to me: do I need to interact more than once a month? No? Should probably be a website. The only time I want an app is for things I check more than 50 or so times a day, but that is because the UI for phones is awful and it is more convenient to context switch. Needless to say I find messaging apps to be the only ones that qualify.

Android app? Then install amd64 Lineage OS in virtualbox, push app there, then restore a snapshot.

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