Mastodon doesn't really like the fact that we've removed "accessibility features" from the browser by design...

[jobbautista9]

Well, told ya the fediverse is well, something. (viewtopic.php?f=65&t=30942&p=249623#p249623)

I wonder how relevant that decision still is today though. I understand that back then it really impacted performance, but if doing --enable-accessibility during compile nowadays doesn't result in significant detriment to performance now that we've forked off from 52 ESR, I guess it shouldn't hurt to reenable it now? Only issue I guess would be release engineering since we now have to make sure this accessibility feature (which we probably haven't even touched one bit since last hard fork) is working properly every test...

Off-topic:
We should also probably upgrade our phpBB especially since the latest 3.2.x release has a potential XSS vulnerability fixed.

https://connectified.com/@masukomi/112605023935216697

[Moonchild]

The accessibility features we have disabled are support for specialized accessibility hardware which we can't reasonably provide support for anyway (none of us has the stuff...). It's clearly indicated on the page that these are features "for custom input or display devices". The moral outrage is thick on this one tripping over me informing people up-front about it instead of just silently having it "not work".
This person/group/echo chamber on Mastodon "may not like it" but it is not a requirement for the use and display of websites. If a website breaks over it then that is a website problem.

Also, got to love the first response they have to someone being an entitled Karen who only half-reads is to try to hack/disable the forum. You really think I have any good words for that?

[jobbautista9]

Oh yeah I noticed the slowdown in the forum's response too. That DoS attempt is not cool.

[Moonchild]

Off-topic:
By the way, our phpBB is not an "out of the box" version and I've ported patches for multiple issues from later versions to address XSS and similar problems, while avoiding the changes in later 3.2 versions of the forum software that I really didn't agree with having on our forum.

[suzyne]

Well, told ya the fediverse is well, something.

To be fair to mastodon/fediverse, I can imagine that once started, a thread like that could gain momentum on any number of other platforms.

[Moonchild]

a thread like that could gain momentum on any number of other platforms.

It could, but if you look at the speed with which it became a vitriolic complain-fest, that... takes a certain audience.

Either way they reminded me to have a closer look at what is actually exposed to the web of phpBB and our forum's security has become a bit better as a result.

[moonbat]

What a bunch of absolutely toxic *redacted* on that thread

[andyprough]

I have never seen a mastodon page before. That has got to be the most horrendous communication medium I've ever seen. Just one long list of people talking all at once without quote responses. Unless you are a real dedicated insider you couldn't possibly follow the flow of the conversation. Is all of mastodon like that? I thought twitter was bad, but this is a whole nother level.

Other than that, from what I could figure out of the "conversation", it wasn't so bad. A few people freaked out, and then a few people got mad at Tobin for some unknown reason related to furries, and then there seemed to be a "discussion" of some of the things Pale Moon is trying to do. If you can call that mess a discussion.

I have a lot of friends in GNU/Linux land who have been singing the praises of the fediverse for years. I'm very glad I never tried it.

[jobbautista9]

Off-topic:
Yeah I never liked the linear-like view of Mastodon threads.. I wish they provided tree view as an option like the one in Misskey.

[moonbat]

That has got to be the most horrendous communication medium I've ever seen.

Yeah I never liked the linear-like view of Mastodon threads..

It's an alternative to Twitter, so what else do you expect
I couldn't stand Twitter even when it first launched; I have an account since then that I only briefly used to push automatic updates about my blog for those that didn't know to use RSS feeds. The 140 character limit that was only recently raised and the whole lack of threaded conversation to see who's replying to what, and that everything is public so any random idiot can reply. At least Musk's takeover resulted in the mass fucking off of the control freak lefties who were in charge before, to run their own Mastodon fiefdoms like the one linked.

[Moonchild]

At least Musk's takeover resulted in the mass fucking off of the control freak lefties who were in charge before, to run their own Mastodon fiefdoms like the one linked.

It doesn't seem like it improved the overall situation

[moonbat]

It doesn't seem like it improved the overall situation

True, now a different set of problems.

[Moonchild]

For the record, I slightly re-worded the accessibility bit for the people who seem to have trouble reading a full short paragraph.

Support for specific accessibility hardware. Most people don't have a need for specialized accessibility features for custom input or display devices. This cuts down on the input complexity and internal processing of input and display, but will, obviously, not be suitable for people who need these features. The browser does support more generic accessibility concepts like caret browsing and high-contrast support, and its UI design attempts to follow WCAG guidelines.

[Basilisk-Dev]

I do not understand what they are so upset about. If they really care that much about Pale Moon supporting accessibility features, they should help contribute to the accessibility features in the browser since both Pale Moon and UXP are open source. Otherwise, if accessibility is a requirement of theirs and they do not have the technical ability to contribute to Pale Moon's accessibility functionality, they should look elsewhere for a browser. Different pieces of software are suitable for different people's needs, and there is nothing wrong with that.

All the post should have been is "FYI, the Pale Moon browser does not support accessibility. If you need that, don't use it." but they blew it way out of proportion, which unfortunately seems to be the norm with almost everything on the internet nowadays.

[Moonchild]

I do not understand what they are so upset about.

Just feeding their moral outrage disposition for us not bending over backward at everyone with a disability, although they may just as well have tripped over something else that's considered "morally good to support".

they should help contribute to the accessibility features in the browser since both Pale Moon and UXP are open source.

Absolutely!

Different pieces of software are suitable for different people's needs, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Exactly right!... Unless you ask someone like the OP of that thread.

The thing that's actually more of a thing I don't understand is that people just seem to switch off their brain and become "warriors for the cause" by pledging to not only not use it themselves, but going out of their way to ensure they use their influence to deter others from even considering it. I mean... what? why? Does such a small thing really make us that evil that that's necessary?

[Basilisk-Dev]

Does such a small thing really make us that evil that that's necessary?

You're already evil for developing an "old and insecure" browser

[Moonchild]

You're already evil for developing an "old and insecure" browser

and not supporting Windows XP at the same time

[frostknight]

You're already evil for developing an "old and insecure" browser

and not supporting Windows XP at the same time

Here's the ironic part, I have seen when I boot firefox-esr with arkenfox or betterfox how much the .cache is used.

Yours = less than 2mb
the way it is setup...

Theres = a whopping 17+MB!

That is nuts.

It's an alternative to Twitter, so what else do you expect

I prefer mastodon over all social media websites. Btw, mastodon usually is more in favor of left wing ideals. Which mostly is my thing.

I have praise for mastodon and piss and vitriol for all other social media websites.

[Moonchild]

Seriously, we could let this percolate through exchanging opinions all week, but I think everything on-topic (specifically related to Pale Moon) has already been addressed.
If you want to further discuss the pros/cons/praise/vitriol of Mastodon, I suggest you open a new thread in the off-topic board.