Summary of Beware the bloated browser! | T3chFest 2019

00:00:00 - 00:45:00

In the "Beware the Bloated Browser! | T3chFest 2019" YouTube video, speaker Antonio Luma reflects on the uniqueness and evolution of the web, which turned 30, and its transformation from a simple concept to a comprehensive platform. He discusses the advantages of the web's backwards compatibility, but also highlights the complexities and security risks of modern browsers, such as web fingerprinting, resource hijacking, and bloated web apps. The speakers stress the importance of privacy and the challenges of maintaining compatibility as browsers constantly evolve. Despite these challenges, they encourage users to be responsible consumers and support free software, open formats, and better tools with fewer surveillance and tracking. Developers are urged to consider the pros and cons of new technologies and stick to what works. The speakers also discuss the potential of the web if it offered the flexibility and efficiency of UNIX commands and imagine the possibilities of applying the UNIX philosophy to the web. The web's anniversary and the concerns raised by Tim Berners-Lee about the web's current state are also touched upon, with a focus on the importance of understanding the underlying principles and being mindful of new trends

• 00:00:00 In this section of the "Beware the bloated browser! | T3chFest 2019" YouTube video, speaker Antonio Luma introduces himself and provides a brief history of the web. He notes that the web was invented 30 years ago and was initially a simple but brilliant concept consisting of a few key pieces: the HTTP protocol, markup language HTML, and the concept of URLs. Luma highlights Tim Berners-Lee's official proposal for the web, which outlines the main concepts, and invites viewers to visit the first page ever created on the web, which is still preserved. Luma plans to discuss the pros and cons of the web, his personal thoughts, and proposals for improvements in later parts of the talk
• 00:05:00 In this section of the T3chFest 2019 YouTube video titled "Beware the bloated browser!", the speaker reflects on the uniqueness and longevity of the World Wide Web. Thirty years ago, someone wrote a document and, without any action on our part, we can now open and understand it. The speaker compares this to other platforms and devices, noting that not all formats work as easily. The first browser is shown, which is now emulated and running on a modern browser like Chrome. Despite limitations and caveats, the software from the past opens a webpage developed in 2019. The web's backwards compatibility, the speaker emphasizes, is one of its key values. Additionally, the web has come a long way since its inception, with browsers now running on JavaScript, enabling the emulation of early web technology. The speaker concludes by mentioning how, thirty years ago, Tim Berners-Lee renounced patents, allowing the web to be a free and open product in our lives
• 00:10:00 In this section of the "Beware the bloated browser! | T3chFest 2019" YouTube video, the speaker discusses how the web has evolved from a mere communications tool to a comprehensive platform that serves various purposes, including computing, entertainment, commerce, and distribution. However, this expansion comes with costs, particularly in terms of complexity. The speaker highlights the size and dependencies of modern browsers, which can lead to security vulnerabilities and development challenges. The fragmentation of browsers and the constant evolution of technologies make it difficult for web developers to keep up with the latest trends and ensure compatibility across different platforms. Despite these difficulties, the speaker emphasizes the importance of the web as a vital part of our personal and professional lives
• 00:15:00 In this section of the "Beware the bloated browser! | T3chFest 2019" YouTube video, the speakers discuss the issue of web fingerprinting and its implications for online privacy. web fingerprinting is a technique used to identify individuals or devices while surfing the web, using methods beyond cookies. The speaker explains that this can be done through simple methods, such as using the canvas element in HTML5 to identify specific devices. Another example given is the battery status API, which enables web applications to retrieve the charge level of a device's battery. While this API has positive uses, such as optimizing game play, it can also be used to identify specific devices based on battery charge patterns. These methods make it difficult for users to defend against and raise concerns about the amount of information that is accessible to websites about their users
• 00:20:00 In this section of the T3chFest 2019 YouTube video titled "Beware the bloated browser!", the speaker discusses the downsides of the increasingly powerful browsers. They mention several security risks, including complexity fingerprinting, resource hijacking, and even Bitcoin mining. The speaker also expresses concern about the trend of developing web apps that function like native applications, which can lead to wasted resources and potential performance loss. The speaker reflects on the importance of understanding the strengths of web technology and the criteria for deciding between web apps and native apps. They conclude by emphasizing the user experience benefits of web technology, such as interoperability and deployment flexibility
• 00:25:00 In this section of the T3chFest 2019 YouTube video, "Beware the bloated browser!", the speaker compares the web to other software platforms. He notes that while web pages may sometimes take longer to load than desired, the immediate nature of the web is an advantage. He contrasts this with installing software, which can take significant time and effort, including dealing with compatibility issues and keeping users updated. The speaker also highlights the web's ability to link to specific resources with precision, which is not easily achievable on native applications. Additionally, the speaker proposes applying the UNIX philosophy, which emphasizes small tools and communication between them, to the web, to potentially make finding and organizing information more efficient
• 00:30:00 In this section of the "Beware the bloated browser! | T3chFest 2019" YouTube video, the speaker imagines the potential of the web if it offered the flexibility and efficiency of UNIX commands. He uses the example of booking flights and applying filters across multiple websites to save time. The speaker introduces the concept of the Semantic Web or linked data, where information is structured and can be queried by machines and humans, as an existing solution to some extent for this kind of querying. Despite its existence, the speaker laments that end-users do not fully benefit from it yet
• 00:35:00 In this section of the T3chFest 2019 YouTube video titled "Beware the bloated browser!", the speaker advocates for users to be responsible consumers on the web by supporting free software, open formats, and advocating for better tools with less surveillance and tracking. He urges users to report issues to developers, change their mindset about expecting everything to be free, and resist centralization in social networks and search engines. For developers, he encourages the use of web standards, resistance to new shiny things, considerations for performance, accessibility, internationalization, and future-proofing. The emphasis is on being mindful of the past and future while being responsible and thoughtful consumers and creators on the web
• 00:40:00 In this section of the T3chFest 2019 YouTube video titled "Beware the bloated browser!", the speaker discussed the web's anniversary and the concerns raised by Tim Berners-lee about the web's current state. Peter Porco's extreme suggestion of halting new standards and API development for a few years was also touched upon. The major topic of conversation, however, revolved around the web operating without advertising. While agreeing that advertising can be annoying and often useless, the speaker pointed out its significance in sustaining businesses and free services. Alternative approaches like Brave browser, paying for some services, and tipping websites were proposed. When asked about the web's future, the speaker voiced his pessimism yet remained hopeful that it will continue to improve, though he expressed concern thatpeople may not be as engaged with open-source projects as they once were
• 00:45:00 In this section of the "Beware the bloated browser! | T3chFest 2019" YouTube video, the speakers discuss the potential issues surrounding the use of open-source software and how it has evolved into a marketing tool for companies. They express concerns about the term being overused and abused, leading to a loss of authenticity. The speakers also share their thoughts on the importance of being mindful about new technologies and not being swayed by the latest trends or "shiny things." Instead, developers should carefully consider the pros and cons before adopting new libraries or frameworks. The speakers conclude by emphasizing the value of understanding the underlying principles and sticking with what works