The DrivethruRPG website so depends on shit that it loads from other domains that I cannot log in no matter how many exceptions I add to uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, or the Firefox content blocking preferences. And with every second I spend doing this, I resent them more. And when I finally start Chromium to try and connect, I'm already ranting as I sit at my laptop. And then I get Connection timed out from cloudflare and really… I feel like they don't want my money. Uuuugh.
I used their contact form. When I hit the submit button I was greeted by a white page. I don't know if they go an email. (I did try the next day from a phone and that worked – which sort of illustrates the point.)
Here's what I wrote:
I think in a world where big tech is tracking us, where everybody and their uncle is spying on us, it is only natural that people start locking down their browser. I have uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger installed and I tell all my browsers to do as much content blocking as they can, I delete all cookies when I close the browser. It's the right thing to do. It is all the more galling when a website such as Drivethru becomes practically unusable as a consequence of me trying to do the right thing. It feels as if Drivethru is betraying me to the big tech corporations, helping them spy on me. It's a revolting feeling. These days, I have it every time I remember to use an unprotected Chromium browser just to log into Drivethru. Every single time I wish for an alternative. Every single time I hope that itch.io and other competitors end up replacing you.
If only you had a simple, straight forward website, served your own Javascript, had no tracking, and allowed me to browse stuff and buy it. I don't really expect an answer to this email. It just feels unfair to rant on social media about the situation without telling you about it.
I hope Drivethru improves. I really do. I believe that change is possible and I hope that you do, too.
#Web #RPG
@craigmaloney@octodon.social says:
Honestly there's some good points and some really bad points to their redesign and I'm having a hard time reconciling the good points because the bad points are so infuriating.
@jameschip@merveilles.town says:
oh my gawd its the worst.
@dianaprobst@mastodon.art says:
It's sluggish in terrible ways.
@mdhughes@appdot.net says:
I don't know what they think the end-game is, but for me it's a lot more itch.io and 'zon for physical stuff.
(Also DriveThruRPG finally flipped on shitty new UI, I sent feedback… on fedi.)
DriveThruRPG finally flipped on shitty new UI, I sent feedback…