an arresting calm<p>it is absolutely astonishing how many unique forms of torture i run into while trying to do seemingly basic things on a computer. why would this functionality only be disabled for the specific site i want to use it on? that makes no sense.</p><p><a href="https://kind.social/tags/userhostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userhostile</span></a> <a href="https://kind.social/tags/techbullshit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>techbullshit</span></a></p>
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#userhostile
1 post · 1 participant · 0 posts today
bignose<p><a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/USDoJ" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>USDoJ</span></a> ruling reiterates: Google must sell <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/Chrome" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Chrome</span></a> to a competitor.</p><p>Much better would be to mandate <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/FreeSoftware" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>FreeSoftware</span></a> license, so it stays in community control and all the <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/UserHostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>UserHostile</span></a> <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/monopoly" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>monopoly</span></a> crap can be freely stripped. But splitting the business is a good start.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/google/2025/03/doj-google-must-sell-chrome-android-could-be-next/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">arstechnica.com/google/2025/03</span><span class="invisible">/doj-google-must-sell-chrome-android-could-be-next/</span></a></p>
an arresting calm<p>once again i have to deal with software that literally does not allow me to say "no". has anyone working at these companies even considered the possibility that someone might not want their upgrade? <a href="https://kind.social/tags/userhostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userhostile</span></a> <a href="https://kind.social/tags/techbullshit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>techbullshit</span></a></p>
bignose<p>“HP says in the staff memo: “The wait time for each customer is set to 15 minutes - notice the expected wait time is mentioned only in the beginning of the call.”</p><p>“The reason for the change? Getting people to figure it out themselves using online support. As HP put it: “Encouraging more digital adoption by nudging customers to go online to self-solve,” and “taking decisive short-term action to generate warranty cost efficiencies.””</p><p><a href="https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/20/hp_deliberately_adds_15_minutes/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">theregister.com/2025/02/20/hp_</span><span class="invisible">deliberately_adds_15_minutes/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://theblower.au/tags/Enshittification" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Enshittification</span></a> <a href="https://theblower.au/tags/TooBigToCare" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TooBigToCare</span></a> <a href="https://theblower.au/tags/UserHostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UserHostile</span></a> <a href="https://theblower.au/tags/Capitalism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Capitalism</span></a></p>
Eve 😘📚<p><strong>Signal:</strong> Verify your PIN. We do this periodically so you remember your PIN.</p><p><strong>Me:</strong> You gotta be god damn kidding me. <em>enters PIN</em></p><p><strong>Signal:</strong> We'll remind you again tomorrow.</p><p><strong>Me:</strong> WTF</p><p><a href="https://toot.cat/tags/Signal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Signal</span></a> <a href="https://toot.cat/tags/TechGripe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TechGripe</span></a> <a href="https://toot.cat/tags/UserHostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UserHostile</span></a></p>
an arresting calm<p>finally decided to uninstall this piece of shit, and naturally, the program demanded to know why i wanted to uninstall before it would allow me the control over my own computer necessary to do so. so i wrote this:</p><p><a href="https://kind.social/tags/userhostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userhostile</span></a> <a href="https://kind.social/tags/techbullshit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>techbullshit</span></a></p>
an arresting calm<p>every year microsoft software becomes both more difficult to use and more difficult to avoid. even as it's constantly adding obnoxious and disruptive messages that make it impossible to think, it's gaining larger and larger market share, becoming more entrenched in our world. it's functionally impossible not to pay microsoft if you have a work-from-home job like i do. again, why do we put up with this? <a href="https://kind.social/tags/userhostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userhostile</span></a> <a href="https://kind.social/tags/techbullshit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>techbullshit</span></a></p>
an arresting calm<p>every single day windows interrupts what i'm doing with a pointlessly disruptive alert and every single day it breaks my workflow. i have ADHD, and something that only takes my attention for a second can ruin much larger periods of time because it's so difficult for me to establish a rhythm. why do we put up with this? this is a basic accessibility issue. <a href="https://kind.social/tags/userhostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userhostile</span></a> <a href="https://kind.social/tags/techbullshit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>techbullshit</span></a></p>
an arresting calm<p>doctor's office email: You have a new message! Log in to read it<br>*firefox enters saved login info*<br>Incorrect password.<br>*clicks "log in using mobile phone verification", does so*<br>Welcome!<br>*clicks "reset password"*<br>You must enter your current password to reset your password.</p><p><a href="https://kind.social/tags/userhostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userhostile</span></a> <a href="https://kind.social/tags/techbullshit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>techbullshit</span></a></p>
Kagan MacTane (he/him)<p>Big Howard Beale energy here, and I mean that in the best way possible.¹</p><p>Why aren't we *ALL* "mad as hell, and... not going to take it anymore"? Maybe we should be.</p><p><a href="https://www.wheresyoured.at/never-forgive-them/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">wheresyoured.at/never-forgive-</span><span class="invisible">them/</span></a></p><p>1. Which, to be honest, is an interesting mixture of good, bad, and crazy, but mostly on the good side in this case.</p><p><a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/RotEconomy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>RotEconomy</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/UX" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UX</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/BadUX" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>BadUX</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/UIUX" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UIUX</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/AbusiveUX" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AbusiveUX</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/UserHostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UserHostile</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/tech" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>tech</span></a> <a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/MonetizeAllTheThings" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MonetizeAllTheThings</span></a></p>
an arresting calm<p>i would pay actual money for a firefox extension that allowed me to mark websites with a warning for myself, if i see them in another web search. you know, like if a site shows a "before you go" ad instead of allowing me to leave, i could mark it with the warning "<a href="https://kind.social/tags/userhostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userhostile</span></a>".</p>
an arresting calm<p>more <a href="https://kind.social/tags/userhostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userhostile</span></a> <a href="https://kind.social/tags/techbullshit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>techbullshit</span></a>: programs that literally stop you from closing them so they can throw some more fucking ads in your face</p>
bignose<p>For people who like to criticise the <a href="https://theblower.au/tags/SurveillanceCapitalism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SurveillanceCapitalism</span></a> <a href="https://theblower.au/tags/Authoritarian" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Authoritarian</span></a> <a href="https://theblower.au/tags/PapersPlease" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PapersPlease</span></a> state of Xi's China</p><p>our <a href="https://theblower.au/tags/AusPol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AusPol</span></a> ministers sure do seem thirsty to emulate the same <a href="https://theblower.au/tags/UserHostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UserHostile</span></a> patterns here in <a href="https://theblower.au/tags/Australia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Australia</span></a> </p><p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://aus.social/@Wyvernsridge" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>Wyvernsridge</span></a></span></p>
bignose<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@jwz" class="u-url mention">@<span>jwz</span></a></span> puts it bluntly:</p><p>“They've decided who their customers are, and it's not you, it's people who build and invest in <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/surveillance" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>surveillance</span></a> advertising networks. But in a "respectful" way.”</p><p><a href="https://www.jwz.org/blog/2024/10/mozillas-ceo-doubles-down-on-them-being-an-advertising-company-now/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">jwz.org/blog/2024/10/mozillas-</span><span class="invisible">ceo-doubles-down-on-them-being-an-advertising-company-now/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/MozillaCorp" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>MozillaCorp</span></a> <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/MozCorp" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>MozCorp</span></a> <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/SurveillanceCapitalism" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>SurveillanceCapitalism</span></a> <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/UserHostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>UserHostile</span></a></p>
bignose<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mozilla.social/@mozilla" class="u-url mention">@<span>mozilla</span></a></span>, you *must* change <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/MozillaCorp" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>MozillaCorp</span></a> leadership. They are selling out the entire user base, to the <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/surveillance" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>surveillance</span></a> <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/ArtificialStupidity" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>ArtificialStupidity</span></a> <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/grift" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>grift</span></a>.</p><p>> Anonym is building technology that can provide more privacy-preserving infrastructure for data sharing between advertisers and publishers.</p><p>Bullshit. Stop handing your users to surveillance creeps.</p><p><a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/improving-online-advertising/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/im</span><span class="invisible">proving-online-advertising/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/MozCorp" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>MozCorp</span></a> <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/SurveillanceCapitalism" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>SurveillanceCapitalism</span></a> <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/UserHostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>UserHostile</span></a></p>
C.<p>But that's only the first recent 3 examples that came to mind, and I ran out of space.</p><p>I'm sure users (and engineers!) in the <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/Fedi" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Fedi</span></a> have all kinds of other examples they could add here...</p><p><a href="https://mindly.social/tags/UserHostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UserHostile</span></a> <a href="https://mindly.social/tags/e14n" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>e14n</span></a></p>
Phil Davis<p>I've open the Windows Photos app about 5 times accidentally in the last year.</p><p>I open Photoshop almost daily.</p><p>Can you guess which app shoots to the top of the results as I type "photos" in the Windows search box?</p><p>Grrr.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/userHostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userHostile</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/userHostileDesign" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userHostileDesign</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/techWriterLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>techWriterLife</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/technicalWriting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>technicalWriting</span></a></p>
poleguy<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://social.tchncs.de/@vfrmedia" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>vfrmedia</span></a></span> <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mcr.wtf/@ak" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>ak</span></a></span> I usually head for open source tools when a company is showing signs it is becoming <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/userhostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userhostile</span></a>. Or if I don't already use a closed source tool. This may be the last closed source tool I still reach for. Usually the threshold to switch is 2x better in some category. In this case I'm struggling to see what 2x improvement they can offer. Even the risk of <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/futureproofing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>futureproofing</span></a> is a low risk here as <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/ltspice" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ltspice</span></a> doesn't phone home for <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/licenses" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>licenses</span></a> or save things on the <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/cloud" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>cloud</span></a>. <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/enshittification" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>enshittification</span></a>?</p>
ToxicCookies<p>Why do Conde Nast’s partners need to identify me by my device characteristics? There’s no obvious reason for this to be “necessary” for my use of the site, so this appears to be deliberate non-compliance with the Data Protection Act. </p><p><a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/Privacy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Privacy</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/TrackingCookies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TrackingCookies</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/OverSharing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>OverSharing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/Advertising" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Advertising</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/UnnecessaryTracking" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UnnecessaryTracking</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/PrivacyInvasion" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PrivacyInvasion</span></a> <a href="https://mastodonapp.uk/tags/UserHostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UserHostile</span></a></p>
🔏 Matthias Wiesmann<p>I used to think the worst software was written for scanners, but then smart home devices came along… <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/homeautomation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>homeautomation</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/smarthome" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>smarthome</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/userhostile" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>userhostile</span></a></p>
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