Linux Foundation bands together Chromium browser makers in a “neutral space” (arstechnica.com)
from fin@sh.itjust.works to linux@lemmy.ml on 10 Jan 12:08
https://sh.itjust.works/post/30881956

cross-posted from: lemm.ee/post/52165296

#linux

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ProgrammingSocks@pawb.social on 10 Jan 12:26 next collapse

This is surely a smokescreen for Google’s monopolization of Internet standards.

And even if weren’t, I cannot emphasize enough how much that list of companies should also NOT be in charge of setting open standards. Oligopoly, monopoly with the illusion of choice…

corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca on 10 Jan 16:27 collapse

Oh, surely.

Wait. Non-profits looking to shepherd the upstream used by a dozen derivatives; that’s BAD now?

eskuero@lemmy.fromshado.ws on 10 Jan 12:44 next collapse

“Google could be forced to sell Chrome” was the news in late november so I guess this a reaction to that.

fin@sh.itjust.works on 10 Jan 14:55 collapse

I want Chrome to be sold, honestly.

I still don’t get why Linux Foundation helped Google out of that.

grue@lemmy.world on 10 Jan 16:03 next collapse

I still don’t get why Linux Foundation helped Google out of that.

I could be wrong, but I think that (at least to some extent) the Linux Foundation exists to be the more corporate-friendly face of Free Software Open Source, as a reaction against/in opposition to the hard-line “end-user freedom” stance taken by GNU/the FSF. If that’s accurate, it doesn’t surprise me that it would take a soft position regarding Google’s monopolistic practices. Especially since Google is a gold member of it.

z3rOR0ne@lemmy.ml on 10 Jan 16:54 collapse

Aren’t a good portion of contributors to the Linux kernel also employees of the major FAANG companies?

Kusimulkku@lemm.ee on 12 Jan 09:27 collapse

This seems more a safeguard for if that happens, since Chromium project would be in jeopardy

merthyr1831@lemmy.ml on 12 Jan 12:55 collapse

they could easily have done this after the fact and avoided the current reality which Will be Google using Linux foundation funding to protect its monopoly of the ecosystem

Kusimulkku@lemm.ee on 12 Jan 14:12 collapse

So instead of proactively working to make sure it’s not just Google contributing to Chromium (contributions that could go away if sold off), you think it would be better to just let the worst happen and then start doing something about it?

Do you realize how much modern web relies on Chromium and how much of that is done by Google currently? It’s a terrible idea to have it the way it currently is and probably even worse if Chrome is sold.

Also the idea of widening the contributor base helping the monopoly is sorta backwards.

franzcoz@feddit.cl on 10 Jan 14:02 next collapse

Why not firefox?

Zucca@sopuli.xyz on 10 Jan 15:41 next collapse

Because Librewolf exists already?

EddoWagt@feddit.nl on 10 Jan 23:27 collapse

That’s based on Firefox…

Zucca@sopuli.xyz on 11 Jan 22:09 collapse

It is Firefox, in that sense it’s not a hard fork, but it follows upstream. ;)

corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca on 10 Jan 16:25 collapse

Whoa whoa. Let’s pick up the build of Mozilla’s ditched namesake and confirm a future there, and then maybe consider their next discard. Wait; who’s got tbird? Can we rescue that first? Get their trash in ‘tip’ order, anyway.

ikidd@lemmy.world on 10 Jan 17:24 next collapse

Thunderbird and Firefox are fine, very actively maintained and adding features.

CrackedLinuxISO@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 10 Jan 17:25 collapse

Thunderbird is back in active deleopmemt though, and not just as a maintenance project.

Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org on 10 Jan 15:52 next collapse

So the Linux Foundation is in Google's pocket. Good to know,

corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca on 10 Jan 16:21 collapse

That’s a pretty unfair kneejerk without receipts.

Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org on 10 Jan 20:42 collapse

When it comes to a megacorp like Alphabet/Google, assuming foul play and bribery should always be the kneejerk.

ilinamorato@lemmy.world on 12 Jan 00:32 collapse

More likely, it’s calculated. The Linux Foundation probably did the math and realized that they could either participate in it, or watch Google run it themselves, packing the board with sycophants and leaving it with no real oversight.

This way, there’s actually a trusted nonprofit voice in the room.

Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org on 12 Jan 03:27 collapse

I hope you're right. I just have the problem of thinking if you've got 9 megacorp supports and one nonprofit, you have 10 supporters for the largest megacorp.

ilinamorato@lemmy.world on 12 Jan 06:22 collapse

Maybe. Depends on what they do with it. But assuming they have any power on this board at all, it’ll be better that they’re there than if they weren’t. It’s not like Linux Foundation “keeping their hands clean” is going to help anything other than optics.

jaypatelani@lemmy.ml on 10 Jan 17:05 next collapse

Why not Gnome web?

cerement@slrpnk.net on 10 Jan 20:05 next collapse

there’s a whole world of alternative, small, or minimalist non-Chromium non-Firefox browsers out there I would love to try out – but in today’s world, if it doesn’t support at least the full un-crippled version of uBlock Origin, it’s a complete non-starter

(considering general trends, I’m just gonna have to sit down and setup PiHole aren’t I?)

yonder@sh.itjust.works on 11 Jan 00:06 next collapse

I find the ad blocking in Gnome Web to be sufficient. The biggest thing that is holding it back in my opinion is a lack of features like extentions and FIDO support and moderate performance.

PushButton@lemmy.world on 12 Jan 03:43 collapse

With Lynx, there’s even no need for plugins!

In all honesty, you should try it. Configure it adequately, and really trying it.

If people could respect the web standards and all have a text based version (aka working on Lynx), the web would be a better place for everyone - especially the impaired ones (blinds for example).

I would trash all the JavaScript in the world to have a functional text based web any day.

Fisch@discuss.tchncs.de on 12 Jan 14:46 collapse

GNOME Web uses Webkit, that’s Apples browser engine

echo@lemmy.ml on 12 Jan 17:24 collapse

More accurately, It uses WebkitGTK, which is a fork of Webkit. Blink, the engine Chromium and Chromium based browsers use, is also a fork of Webkit.

Fisch@discuss.tchncs.de on 12 Jan 18:32 collapse

Is it a hard fork? I thought it was just a soft fork

Vincent@feddit.nl on 10 Jan 17:39 collapse

we remain committed to being the responsible steward of the Chromium project

blog.chromium.org/…/announcing-supporters-of-chro…

So this neutral space is still subservient to Google’s whims.