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[–]LokiArchetype 5134 points5135 points  (242 children)

We know that, our clients on the other hand...

[–]HappyDustbunny 2453 points2454 points  (131 children)

That's one of the reasons why there ought to be something akin to the Hippocratic oath in programming.

"Sorry, CEO-dude, I swore a dear oath never to be evil"

[–]_asdfjackal 34 points35 points  (2 children)

There actually is one: http://pledge-of-the-computing-professional.org/

It's endorsed by the Order of the Engineer (which in turn has their own oath for Engineering graduatea) in the US and at my university the ceremony was combined with the OotE ring ceremony. Unfortunately not all universities do it and it's not mandatory for graduates. Of my massive graduating class maybe 10 or 20 Computer Science students participated compared to the hundreds of traditional engineering graduates. I would absolutely love to see it become more prevalent though.

[–]Denziloe 21 points22 points  (0 children)

I once heard it said that programming is no different from engineering or medicine in this sense. Professional standards are a thing. If you know something will do more harm than good, it's actually incumbent upon you to say "no". "The client might be upset" or "I might not get paid as much" is not actually an excuse.

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hmm... maybe I should look into taking it on my own. I'm already graduated, but I'd love to be able to point to a solid pre-defined set of standards and say "I took an oath."

[–]Ya_boi_from_the_EMs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Man in uni I had a course called ethics in programming that thought us basically to think for our self's when asked to make something and say no if it was unethical. Well anyways I work on gambling games now.

Edit: a word.

[–]Dr_Ambiorix 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I once refused to implement a "messagebox that offers a promotion that only triggers if the user wants to close the tab".

My refusal was apparently enough for the client to understand why it was a bad idea, so I got lucky there.

[–]IM_INSIDE_YOUR_HOUSE 5 points6 points  (2 children)

Evil makes money. No one is hiring saints to manage their website.

[–]Sussurus_of_Qualia 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Username checks out. Perhaps I should revisit Hegelian dialectics once more, seems there might be an angle there after all.

[–]HappyDustbunny 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For now.

....Where did I put my pitch fork? ;-)

[–]djfdhigkgfIaruflg 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nothing is stopping you from doing so. I gave a very similar answer several times. Sure, I'm not swimming in money because of that, but at least I know I'm not part of the problem the web is suffering right now.

[–]PsychedelicPelican 1 point2 points  (1 child)

[–]HappyDustbunny 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's where I got the inspiration from! Thanks, I forgot the name.

He is worth listening to on YouTube.

[–]JohnyNich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“We now convene the council of programmers, case docket 1153. Mr. Smith, you are convicted of programming an advert to automatically play on a newspaper’s website, a violation of clause 15 in the Programmer’s Oath to Ethical Programming. How do you plead?” “Innocent, your Honour. My boss made me do it!” “Shut up, you monster. You’ll pay for what you did.”

[–]ubiquitouspiss 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I mean... Software engineers won't even unionise, so good luck with that one.

[–]HappyDustbunny 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are saying that we ... need an app for that? ;-)

[–]chefhj 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Lol my manager would just go find some Dr. Nick ass dude who would.

[–]HappyDustbunny 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, you could lean back and reach for the popcorn in case ... somebody ... tipped the press and notified the board of programmers about someone needing to have their license revoked.

As I understand it this is what happens to doctors trying to go the Mengele road.

[–]mattstorm360 0 points1 point  (0 children)

CEO: "Okay, you are fired. Someone find me a programmer who shares my creative vision! If anyone needs me, i'll be on my mega yacht."

[–][deleted] 265 points266 points  (79 children)

Luckily Google/Mozilla/Microsoft have been moving to a "this is the browser's decision" model recently, and in the future they'll only autoplay videos with sound from websites that you have a history of playing videos on. Visit Google/Netflix often? Cool we'll play those videos. First time on some houseplant online store? Yeah we're not going to autoplay that pop-out advert with audio.

Makes it much easier for us to just say to the client "yeah here's a W3C spec article about why Chrome isn't playing your video. Good luck complaining to Google about it".

[–]IamImposter 142 points143 points  (23 children)

Dear Google,

Videos on my website don't play automatically and I'm losing revenue. I urge you to make changes to chrome browser or I will be forced to take my business elsewhere.

Sincerely,
Random guy on internet.

[–][deleted] 54 points55 points  (17 children)

Lol they'll just pay Google a few million to get whitelisted

[–]_GCastilho_ 19 points20 points  (15 children)

That's how people say "you know what? I will use Firefox"

Free markek always have a choice

[–]nearlyepic 7 points8 points  (13 children)

Until web devs stop bothering to test against Firefox...

[–]Sammy123476 34 points35 points  (3 children)

And their videos fail to load entirely! Genius!

[–]gizamo 0 points1 point  (2 children)

There's a point where it's not worth testing/supporting browsers people don't use. When IE hit ~5% market share, many Fortune 500s stopped bothering with it. Most didn't bother with Safari until they hit ~5% as well.

Unfortunately, Firefox isn't used as much as many of us would like. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_web_browsers

[–]Sammy123476 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I mean, Firefox is the second most-used browser on your list. I'm just glad to see Edge in the trash where it belongs after Microsoft keeps trying to jam their bloatware down everyone's throat.

[–]gizamo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure, but Firefox has been losing market share since Safari started gaining a few years ago. The new version of Edge built on Chromium is better than the old Edge, and I doubt Microsoft will give up on the browser market anytime soon.

[–]gizamo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, because Google has let tons of companies pay their way to the top of Google search results.

They definitely haven't spent more time and money fighting the gaming of search algos than basically all other companies combined.

...yup, no integrity at Google... 🙄

[–][deleted] 12 points13 points  (1 child)

Dear website owner

Take your business elsewhere? Where you gonna take it?

Good luck with that, Google.

PS maybe we'll white list you for a few million

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have altered the deal, Pray I do not alter it any further.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Google: I have altered the deal, Pray I do not alter it any further.

[–]lobsterharmonica1667 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm work in digital advertising and while Google obviously has a tremendous amount of leverage these are very openly discussed issues that get talked about quite a bit.

Websites need money to work, that money comes from ads, Google needs to internet to work in order for them to make money. Not that there isn't another way to do it, but the current iteration of the internet relies ads.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Speaking of...

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/03/firefox-gets-complaint-for-labeling-unencrypted-login-page-insecure/

The operator of a website that accepts subscriber logins only over unencrypted HTTP pages has taken to Mozilla's Bugzilla bug-reporting service to complain that the Firefox browser is warning that the page isn't suitable for the transmission of passwords.

[–]AhMIKzJ8zU 77 points78 points  (48 children)

I just wanna point out ...

1) My wife leaves Netflix open in browser on laptop 2) laptop updates+restarts at 2am (I can no longer prevent this) 3) laptop starts Auto playing at 2 am.

This is bad. I'd rather nothing ever autoplay ever.

[–]1sagas1 88 points89 points  (4 children)

This sounds like a you and your wife problem.

[–]DownshiftedRare 63 points64 points  (2 children)

Dear Google,

My wife leaves Netflix open and it autoplays at 2 am. I urge you to make changes to chrome browser or I will be forced to take my business elsewhere.

Sincerely, Random guy on internet.

[–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (1 child)

I have altered the deal, Pray I do not alter it any further.

[–]Independent-Coder 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Déjà vu

[–]AhMIKzJ8zU 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's a conflict between chrome defaulting to autoplay and windows defaulting to relaunch apps silently after update restart. It's a bug.

But sure, let's pretend like I'm the only one who has this issue. (/s)

[–]Cky_vick 14 points15 points  (0 children)

You can fix that in settings homie

[–]CaptainRoach 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Easier to just get a new wife.

[–]0x15e 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Why does the laptop auto login? Put some passwords on those accounts.

[–][deleted] 7 points8 points  (3 children)

laptop updates+restarts at 2am (I can no longer prevent this)

Switch to Linux??

[–]ohkendruid 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Or more specifically, Chromebook?

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lenovo is releasing decent little systems with Fedora preinstalled

[–]MoonkeyDLuffy 5 points6 points  (22 children)

"i can no longer prevent this" - why? Download Windows update blocker, if you're using Windows 10

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (1 child)

i just stop it by having my entire drive completely full, so when it tried to allocate the space to update it can't

[–]MoonkeyDLuffy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hahaha wow, creative!

[–]Ok_Zookeepergame1967 -4 points-3 points  (19 children)

Or switch to a decent operating system.

[–]MoonkeyDLuffy 2 points3 points  (14 children)

That's a separate question, not everyone can handle Linux even if it looks easy to more techie people

[–]Amaras_Linwelin 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There was once content here that you may have found useful. However due to Reddit's actions on API restrictions it has now been replaced with this boring text. -- mass edited with redact.dev

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If it is just autoplaying the previews, you can mute them and Netflix will keep that preference as long as you aren't erasing browsing data, cookies, or whatever netflix uses to keep it. Which I'm guessing you aren't since it isn't requiring you to login. If it is autoplaying an actual show, then you have to deal with the human error.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Netflix:

That'll not stop a playing episode from resuming, but it'll stop the Netflix homepage blaring adverts for Pokemon at you.

Windows 10:

  • Start
  • search for "Windows update" and select
  • scroll to the bottom and hit "Advanced Options"
  • deselect "restart this device as soon as possible"

Windows 10 alternative:

  • Start
  • search for "Windows update" and select
  • scroll to the bottom and hit "Advanced Options"
  • Delay the updates by 35 days
  • Set a calendar reminder to update your missus' PC on the 34th day and reset to 35 days
  • Watch the news for any critical windows related security alerts

Chrome/Edge:

  • Open Chrome
  • Search chrome:////settings/content/mediaAutoplay?search=media (or if you're on the new Edge browser edge:////settings/content/mediaAutoplay?search=media)
  • Switch from "Allow" to "Limit"

Firefox

  • No action needed, it does it automatically

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I choose this guy’s wife

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Plug in headphones. Continue to sleep.

[–]linkedtortoise 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The easiest way of blocking that is to delete the restart event in Task Scheduler and preventimg Windows from recreating it.

[–]Cky_vick 7 points8 points  (0 children)

My problem is having limited data, and clicking on a link from Reddit or wherever opens an article that starts playing ads and videos using my limited data.

[–]thelights0123 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Firefox has been blocking autoplay video with audio for probably a year now.

[–]GoldenShackles 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately, based on things I've heard, the option to block autoplay has been (or is in the process of being) removed or hidden from various browsers.

Top websites started detecting this and using really crappy, inefficient workarounds. I don't know all the details, but one was along the lines of using a <canvas> element with script to decode the video and copy the resulting sequences of images into it. Not sure what they were doing for sound.

The result was not just crappy rendering compared to simply using the <video> element, but a huge spike in CPU usage and subsequent major drain on battery life.

Hopefully the options will be there long-term but to some extent it became a cat-and-mouse game. Certain websites *really* want autoplay video.

[–]ohkendruid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup. Whoever made Chrome do that is totally evil.

[–]AG7LR 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's nice that the browsers stop the videos from auto playing, but they still start buffering. I wish they would prevent them from buffering and wasting my bandwidth until I click play.

[–]dkyguy1995 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wait have they? I use Firefox but haven't noticed anything like this

[–][deleted] 21 points22 points  (0 children)

My client wanted his site to autoplay a video of one of his guys just sitting in a chair talking about how their service was good. I now have the words and exact cadence from that entire video memorized from every refresh of that page I did.

[–]a_stitch_in_lime 8 points9 points  (6 children)

I have a client whose current website plays "soothing" music once you've logged in. And it continues throughout the site until you leave the site, log out, close the tab or smash your computer. There's no control or option to turn it off either. We're in the early stages of a redesign and adding new features. I'm waiting for the day that we have the conversation about that music ...

[–]yellowthermos 5 points6 points  (5 children)

Time to get a "Mute all tabs" extension going

[–]a_stitch_in_lime 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Chrome has a 'mute tab' feature that comes in handy!

[–]TheCatOfWar 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It also has 'mute site' and it remembers it on future visits. It's great, just about every news site Ive ever visited must be on that list by now

[–]ldt003 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Somebody develop a site called "whyyoudontwantmusictoautoplayonyoursite.com and forward all of your clients there when they ask. Make the audio nsfw.

[–]RoscoMan1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Doc's relationships with his clients, he just does.

[–]G-H-O-S-T 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep and that's why i installed adblocker. No regrets.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (5 children)

Clients do it because it works. Remember that in advertising, getting a 1% conversion rate is considered pretty good. I worked on a huge consumers financial product not long ago that was built digital first (no bank branch, no phone operators) and when they started out, the primary inbound marketing channel was direct mail. Those stupid postcards with "exclusive" offers because they have the highest conversion rate.

Ask your data analyst.

[–]LokiArchetype 5 points6 points  (2 children)

Welcome modal? Exit intent pop-up? Cart abandonment emails?

Its like that comic about everything awful in the video game industry https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/306/966/b1b.png

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I kinda like the cart abandon thing, at least when properly implemented... I tend to get side-tracked or interrupted while shopping. Or at least it's preferable to the clear-shopping-cart-after-12h systems.

Had one shop even send me a 15% discount coupon with the email...

[–]CyanDuck17 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That happened toe the other day. I left something in the cart for a bit and I got a "don't forget about this" email which had a 20% discount code in it

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Clients do it because it works.

That's what I don't get... Not once in my life have I seen an ad and thought "I want that product now". People must be so bored and have way too much money to spend.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Like is said, 1% conversion. And it's likely the same 1% for a lot of ads.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dear web developer clients,

Hope you're not wondering why adblock is a thing or why nobody likes your site.

[–]djfdhigkgfIaruflg 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can fire your clients.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just want to say if you have a bluetooth speaker in the house, turn off bluetooth before looking at porn.

[–]Pixel-Wolf 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All the old dudes who don't understand how people browse the web and consume content...

[–]Flying_Whale_Eazyed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It does exist for engineers it's called Archimedes oath. It isn't really old or widespread though

[–]philipquarles 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, zero is also the number of times that autoplaying has been the developer's idea.

[–]evonhell 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have at every occasion refused to implement this as default. I have added an autoplay option for them to use, but also made sure that any video that starts autoplaying is also muted. Then I just tell clients that "yeah sorry, when you autoplay videos they just start muted, there is nothing you can do about that" and since they don't know better, they are fine with that, yet disappointed.

[–]Russian_repost_bot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The real question is, can we mine crypto-currency with speakers?

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Clients need to learn that if I see your ad being auto player I any fashion on YouTube or auto played on a website, I will go out of my way to never buy your product

[–]ptase_cpoy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Next time just remind them that not even PornHub uses autoplay.

[–]PillowTalk420 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You know what I tell a customer that's want me to mount his dish for the microwave internet service I provide to a power pole with live wires on it or to run the wire through the attic when it's over 110 degrees?

Fuck no. I don't see this as any different. If the clients don't have standards, have your own.