[pavlov]

From this narrow perspective, Internet Explorer was the exact same story. Starting around version 4.0 it really was a better browser than Netscape, implemented the new standards better, and also did essential new things that other browsers couldn’t (XmlHttpRequest anyone?). IE’s dominance really made the web better because developers could write to a single standard and end users had a unified browser UX.

Now, I disagree with this definition of “better” because it doesn’t consider the indirect effects on the open web platform. But my opinion is presumably a minority one because the community has sleepwalked into the same situation with Google and Chrome.

[izacus]

> Now, I disagree with this definition of “better” because it doesn’t consider the indirect effects on the open web platform. But my opinion is presumably a minority one because the community has sleepwalked into the same situation with Google and Chrome.

Yes, and meanwhile prevented the content being locked inside the walled garden platforms like Facebook and apps on Apple AppStore. It's really strange how none of you remember that having most news and other content locked off behind a mobile app was a serious trend that happened before web caught up?

[subradios]

Serious trend? It never stopped. Literally every website on the mobile version will outright demand I download the app. Even sites that are on a desktop will refuse to do anything the site should do and instead tell me to download the app.

It's harder to game app downloads than site visits, so companies chased app downloads. It has very little to do with the user experience or preference.

[iforgotpassword]

I don't remember that. When was any news locked in at Facebook? How even? When chrome came around, how many people even had smartphones? The majority of people still used Facebook via Browser then.

But even if; just like in the movies, when the good guy finally turns bad, you have to get rid of him.