Today we’re taking a major step to simplify online privacy with the launch of fully revamped versions of our browser extension and mobile app, now with built-in tracker network blocking, smarter encryption, and, of course, private search – all designed to operate seamlessly together while you search and browse the web. Our updated app and extension are now available across all major platforms – Firefox, Safari, Chrome, iOS, and Android – so that you can easily get all the privacy essentials you need on any device with just one download.
Seems like a natural extension of what DuckDuckGo is already known for. Nice work.
Recently I stopped using goolag search – they show useless pages on the top, no direct match. Also many pages seem to be hidden. DDG seems to get better than Goolag everyday.
Yeah, its your site, your rules, you do what you want.
But according to their extension I have been testing OSNews got a privacy grade of D “enhanced” to C
That might be because some first-party javascript files are hardlinked via HTTP (not HTTPS!), even when you open OSNews via HTTPS. Most modern browsers block such requests, because they are unsafe.
Thus the website commenting and voting system is broken because it relies upon said javascript files.
In general, this website requires MAJOR overhauling. The design is almost fifteen years old, or at least feels that old. Nothing responsive, nothing adhering to modern HTML or CSS standards. And I’m well aware that this hasn’t been dealt with because there aren’t any funds. But boy, I’d REALLY like this site to get a new wrapper, because the current one is starting to become annoying to use.
Gargyle,
All very true, there are a few specific things osnews should fix, some would only take a few minutes to do.
In many ways though I prefer a traditional interface over the risk of getting an over-engineered modern interface. Too many news sites just go overboard reinventing the wheel with bulky javascript libraries that can end up getting in the way and/or making the web more complicated, less secure, and less reliable.
IIRC around 5 years ago or so there was an article here (largery focusing on UI and how behind the scenes it will be based on some standard framework, to ease maintainance in the future) about upcoming OSNews overhaul …since then, silence. I suppose it’s lack of resources / funds, as you say… :/
(I only hope that in any possible overhaul the behaviour of “greying out” comments which were already opened stays in place)
zima,
From an economical standpoint the cheapest option is probably just to customize an existing open source forum or maybe buying commercial software. Hiring developers is the most expensive option. I would do it if I could be paid. The thing is, if it’s just going to end up another mass produced template site, I don’t think I’d be in favor of it personally.
I know that I’ve had lots of ideas for osnews over the years. There are a lot of interesting and novel things that could be done. But as with anything, the resources need to be there.
Hiring devs would be probably necessary at least to import all old articles and comments into new site …I know I would very much prefer that.
(and I guess I hope that there will still be the bug/feature that, with a little editing of HTML, allows me now to comment 7 days after story date when the cutoff is supposedly 5 days
)
Edited 2018-01-30 18:39 UTC
It even has a crappy ugly mobile version that cannot register properly and when I try to comment while not logged in the first login prompt I see is a phony that always fails to login.
But I guess we should not be too harsh. For a site made by a non-webdeveloper who learned all his webdevelopment skills during a single weekend where he read a few tutorials about webdevelopment this site is actually quite nice.
Not everyone is a professional webdeveloper.
I just hope it doesn’t track users and phone home.
Am I missing the point here? Why do I need this extension if already have ublock origin and https everywhere?
http://3g2upl4pq6kufc4m.onion/
I also like this onion version.