- cross-posted to:
- technology
- cross-posted to:
- technology
The company confirmed to me that it is moving in a direction that other platforms have taken: converting users to the app. Reddit says that the test aims to find out if people like me—those who use the service but aren’t generally logged in—get a better experience with the app.
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Some of this carping does feel a bit strident for a free and (generally) useful service. Perhaps I should switch to the app. Perhaps I should browse while logged in to enable a truly customized feed. Perhaps I really would love the better search options.
If you’re a tech writer and you believe this maybe you should get into a different line of work.
Bait and switch is wrong no matter who does it, even if the service was free to begin with.
In fairness to the writer the next paragraph follows up with “perhaps, or perhaps the better option is to just walk away and do something more productive with my time.” Basically your sentiment.
Ars is good source for pointing out just how shitty the tech world has gotten. They definitely have a bunch of writers who love lapping up the slop they’re fed like little piggies.
Where does all their assets come from anyways? The users. Who do it for free. The users should boycott.
Seriously.
“Maybe I should use it just because they want me to. So i will.”My question is what do they gain from it? And since i can’t answer the question aside from to steal my data I’m very reluctant to use apps and prefer using the browser.
Same. Apps are mostly just data trackers now. I’m the same way, much prefer a website than an app. (Including lemmy)
The app calls the same backhand services as the website, and it’s UI is governed by the same company. The only possible reason an experience would be “better in the app” as so often claimed is if the website was intentionally rendered useless.
The real reason is that apps have access to more data about you than websites do, and data is valuable.
Absolutely. As someone who was using the website back during the GFC, I cant help but think of that godfather meme every time I hear something new about Reddit these days.
What the hell did this generation of social media companies think was going to happen? They squandered their potential by suffocating the communities they allowed in to prove the point that they could make their users go onto an app and that this would be good for shareholder value.
They won the battle, lost the war and then destroyed the kingdom from losing the war so badly.
The vast majority of my internet use is on my desktop PC. I don’t use many “apps”, I use websites. Sure, I use Lyft when I want to go somewhere but I’m too drunk to drive. I use Grubhub when I’m hungry and lazy. I use the alarm app when I need to. I use an app to check on the progress of my Sous vide machine.
But as far as general browsing, why would I use a tiny little phone screen when I can use my PC, with a 65" monitor? Watching YouTube on my phone sucks, and makes my neck hurt. Scrolling through content aggregators (like reddit, or my preferred platform PieFed) is much more pleasant on my PC. It’s easier to type, I get to use a mouse, and I can actually see what I’m looking at instead of straining my eyes to look at a tiny phone.
I’m already done with reddit, and I’m glad I am, since they seem to be intent on killing it. RIP to my old friend. We had a good 19 years. But I’ve moved on now.
But as far as general browsing, why would I use a tiny little phone screen when I can use my PC, with a 65" monitor?
You must have some big pockets to be able to take that on the go with you.
If I’m outside my house, I’m not scrolling through social feeds. I don’t need the doombox to follow me everywhere I go.
Tools vs. Uses [Pluralistic] – yes, being able to control their users is the main goal – but one of the biggest advantages of apps for corporations is being able to sue the hell out of anyone who “bypasses access controls” (ie. no jailbreaking your own phone, no alternative app stores, no using adblockers, etc.)
I found a workaround for Waterfox/android and also learnt ublock origin has some “annoyances” lists that automatically create rules to unfuck this. Enable them and delete browser cache works for me.
But also yes agree, infuriating enshittification x
