al_james

All they need to add is the ability to star (or favourite) a friend. Then you can view just your newsfeed from your favourite friends. Perfect.

I should imagine google, having access to a 'quite' large web index, would know if hiding the http/https would break the Internet for the majority of web users. I am guessing this actually only happens in a very few edge cases, and those edge cases should fix their sites, not hold back development for everybody else!

Really? Why? Users should rely on the browser indicating a secure site via a padlock or some other indicator. I would imagine most real users would not know the difference between http and https to asking them to base their security decision on that is misguided.

I think its more likely that they realise most people don't understand what the http/https bit is all about, so its much simpler if you ignore it altogether.

I honestly think http/https should beside the point. Websites should transparently redirect to https if they need to (so the padlock appears), but there is no need to signal this to the user with some cryptic techno-gabble.

I honestly think the first example is a feature not a problem (its a good thing!) and the second is an edge case that will never happen to the vast majority of web users.

Whereas hiding the http/https prefix simplifies the web browsing experience for the vast majority of web users. Worth keeping!

Ok, so digest authentication is safe against this new firefox extension?

If so, why don't facebook et al. switch to digest based authentication?

Surely its better than unencrypted cookie based logins. Is it just that its ugly (the browser login popup)?

If you have a website that respondes to HTTPS traffic and not HTTP traffic, and you are targeting everyday Internet users, you don't deserve traffic!

Most people dont understand the difference between the cryptic labels HTTP and HTTPS. Why should they? Why force users to become experts in Internet protocols to use the Internet?

What does this mean for HTTP basic authentication? How about digest access authentication?

It might not be the best solution for geeks, but Apple is serious about smooth user experience. I might not mind a few bugs in the software I download, but it will confuse/frustrate the hell out of Mr Average Joe.

Its about time this happened really. Its an obvious idea, and could potentially be a great user experience. I bet Microsoft have their own within a year.

If facebook had used the verb 'follow' or 'subscribe' to friends, it would be nowhere the size it is now. People would not get it.

Saying "Streams are built out of subscriptions ('following'), not 'friendship'" is something twitter got right over facebook is totally missing the point. Facebook is about real (meat-space) friends, not random geeky egomaniacs like on twitter. Apples to oranges.

A classic work.

Assuming they still use ASCII (or an ASCII extended character set) in those days.

Yes I agree. My point is that just being a intrest graph service limits the service to the early adopter tech crowd. Facebook are in a much stronger position as (normal) people are there already with their friends, and they can grab the interest graph as well.

The author argues that the 'interest graph' is more commercial than the 'real friends graph'. True. However its clear to me that the 'real friends graph' is much more useful to real people. Facebook's 'real friends graph' is a useful tool, helping me keep track of people in my life. The 'interest graph' is a much less useful thing.

Ummm... Where do you keep your money? Under your bed?

As someone else pointed out, this site exists: http://endsoftpatents.org/

Does that cover your idea?

>>he technology is trivial but getting traction with such a website, bringing it to the attention of major blogs and news outlets is the main work to be done.

Like always! ;)

A more pressing question is: Is there any possible legal repercussions of building such a site. I live and host in the UK if that makes any difference.

Thats actually a good idea. What would be the requirements? It might be an interesting weekend project for me!

Yes, its amazing how many people confuse 'making a profit' with 'working for free and not losing money'.

I can't help thinking this is the future. Like it or not, taking real peoples 'likes' and 'dislikes' into the search algorithm will significantly reduce the SEO spam overload problem that is plaguing google. Its been said many times on HN that google is becoming less and less relevant. Its the problem of getting a machine to make recommendations without any human intelligence.

The future of search will take into account input from the masses, and, at the moment, facebook are the people with the best access to this information. Be afraid google.

Everyone's mileage will vary. Depending on audience, not supporting IE 6/7/8 may not be an option. Period.

So, if anyone reading this has a Prius and lives in SF, just bolt a metal bracket and a food blender to the roof and people will take videos of you as well!

No reason except that, unless your blog is aimed at the early adopter crowd, people would go "chrome what?" and go away.

Er. That must have been one hell of a slow site to start with. I am evaluating cloudflare at the moment. No noticeable change in any user retention stats. No real noticeable change in site speed either.

I do find myself getting frustrated with some of the search results. However, there is really no other option. 'Up and coming' search engines like DDG are good, but only for certain search types.

Web design is 95% Typography to typophiles, 95% graphic design to graphic designers, 95% usability to UX experts. In short, people look at and notice what they are interested in, but to the average punter each of these things makes a much smaller contribution.

If you don't want your photo taken, or the possibility of it showing online, don't go outside!

I think you will find thats the case unless someone hotlinks the image. Facebook permissions work at the level of the page showing the image, not on the image file itself.