[illiarian]

Just put WebGL/WebGPU behind permission and the problem is solved.

Just put WebUSB behind permission and the problem is solved.

Just put WebHID behind permission and the problem is solved.

Just put WebMIDI behind permission and the problem is solved.

Just put Filesystem Access behind permission and the problem is solved.

Just put Sensors behind permission and the problem is solved.

Just put Location behind permission and the problem is solved.

Just put Camera behind permission and the problem is solved.

Just put ...

I don't understand why highly paid Google and Firefox developers cannot understand such a simple idea.

[rockdoe]

I can't tell whether you're kidding or not, but this is exactly the path Firefox was advocating: https://blog.karimratib.me/2022/04/23/firefox-webmidi.html

The page implies it no longer requires permissions, but I just tested and you definitely get a permissions popup, just a different one.

WebHID, WebUSB and Filesystem Access are IIRC, "considered harmful" so they won't get implemented. And Sensor support was removed after sites started abusing battery APIs.

[illiarian]

> I can't tell whether you're kidding or not,

I'm not. It's a bit of a sarcasm (?) listing a subset of APIs that browsers implement (or push forward against objections like hardware APIs) and that all require some sort of permission.

> but this is exactly the path Firefox was advocating

Originally? Perhaps. Since then Firefox's stance is very much "we can't just pile on more and more permissions for every API because we can't properly explain to the user what the hell is going on, and permission fatigue is a thing"

[shadowgovt]

Everything except WebGL and WebGPU allows the system to change more state than what is rendered on a screen.

Users already expect browsers to change screen contents. That's why WebGPU / WebGL aren't behind a permission block (any moreso than "show images" should be... Hey, remember back in the day when that was a thing?).

[ctenb]

Yes please