> For example, if you need to jump on the internet to look up Muddy Waters’ real name
Best idea ever. That's the most common use case people have and one that's drastically underserved by current browsers.
If people can't get their browser to quickly open a link to simple stuff, it means the web is failing. If the web is failing they'll quickly jump over to sending images over WhatsApp or fall into the trap of using the Facebook app for all their needs that could be otherwise served by the web.
For example, if you need to jump on the internet to look
up Muddy Waters’ real name, and instead of “McKinley
Morganfield” you get pop-up ads, screen takeovers,
“sponsored” content and other third-party advertising-
driven distraction, then you know what browser overkill
feels like.
What? I don't understand how that's possible. If you just google search for Muddy Waters, it tells you his real name right on the search results screen. Even if it didn't, his Wikipedia page is one of the first results, and it doesn't have any pop-up ads, screen takeovers, etc.
Am I missing something, or can someone explain what they're referring to?
I think you're taking the example a bit too literally. You know exactly what they're talking about. It's become almost impossible to use a phone browser for anything quick. They are slow to begin with, and with all the ads and other crap it's just not even worth it half the time.
I once read that for this reason, many people send screenshots instead of links - so others don't have to reproduce the right sequence of closing ads, etc to show the content the user is interested in sharing.
Sure, but then you're depending on Google search. And hoping that the information they bring to the top is actually correct. When you actually have to peruse the search list and click on a site, that's when the trouble begins.
When I'm asked to look something up on my LG G2 budget phone, I usually just say "Can't, sorry" or "Sure, give me a few minutes".
That's easy, Firefox could just download a copy of The Internet on installation and run an indexer over it, so that you could look up any information you need. How foolish of them!
Wikipedia's banner ads have grown effectively into full-page interstitials. And then after I blocked the first one, there was a second one embedded in the article.
Best idea ever. That's the most common use case people have and one that's drastically underserved by current browsers.
If people can't get their browser to quickly open a link to simple stuff, it means the web is failing. If the web is failing they'll quickly jump over to sending images over WhatsApp or fall into the trap of using the Facebook app for all their needs that could be otherwise served by the web.