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On the flip side, if default placement was eliminated and browsers asked users which search engine they'd like on first launch...I still believe most users would pick Google anyway and the main loser would be Firefox as search engine placement is the majority of their revenue.

Furthermore, ChatGPT reaching 100m users in 2 months also suggests that browser placement isn't the biggest factor into where users send their queries.


"Most" isn't relevant here, if share goes down from 90% to 51% - monopoly problem solved.

Same with the factors- ok, let it be the second-biggest factor, so?


You are being extremely optimistic with that number. I would put it around 80-85%.

Google search usage is not going to drop 50% just because it's not the default.


> just because it's not the default

On HN, we probably drastically overestimate the number of people who change any default.


Chrome is only the default browser on Pixel devices which are what, 1% of devices worldwide? Less than 5% in the US anyway.

On desktop Edge or Safari are defaults, iOS is Safari, on Samsung phones it's Samsung Internet.

People have to go out of their way to install Chrome, and yet it's got a majority of market share.


The success of the Chrome browser on desktop proves otherwise, no?

It's interesting that the argument is "nobody can compete with defaults" when one of the proposed remedies is to break off the part of the company that was too successful at competing with defaults.


Chrome organic growth was powered by a special confluence of historical events:

- IE was bloated and lazy from being dominant

- Google controlled one of the most visited websites in the world (pre-mobile appification)

- V8 performance boosted the web's then-cutting-edge js features

Those are huge tailwinds.

In contrast to now, where Chrome spends more time trying to deprecate mv2, link user browing to a Google identity, and find a way to recreate tracking cookies.

When's the last time Chrome shipped innovation that made users' lives measurably better? Per tab processes?


You misunderstand the meaning of that number, it wasn't a forecast


That is not "on the flip side" but "now that the damage is done".


I wonder what the difference is between what people will claim on surveys vs actual behavior.

Here's a study that says the opposite (unless you make >100k/yr) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leaders...


There's a lot more ebike manufacturers than phone and laptop manufacturers, and some of them might not have the best quality control in light of the heavy competition.


Leaded fuel is still widely used in piston engine airplanes (most small airplanes).

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/leaded-gas-wa...


There has recently been some real progress in this front, with the FAA approving unleaded fuel in about 600 engine models. Basically, aviators have been waiting a long time for the government to stop forcing them to use leaded fuel.



Crypto is its own banking system but going from fiat to crypto falls within the current banking system, unless you're willing to buy crypto with bundles of cash and risk getting mugged.


Not true. We can hijack the banking system using Bisq.

https://bisq.network/

Suppored payment methods:

    Advanced Cash
    AliPay
    Cash Deposit
    Chase QuickPay
    Face to face (in-person)
    Faster Payments
    HalCash
    Interac e-Transfer
    Japan Zengin Furikomi
    MoneyBeam (N26)
    MoneyGram
    National bank transfer
    Perfect Money
    Popmoney
    PromptPay
    Revolut
    SEPA
    SEPA Instant
    Swish
    Transfer with same bank
    Transfer with specific banks
    Uphold
    US Postal Money Order
    WeChat Pay
    Western Union
    Zelle
And no, I don't think they asked permission.

It's so funny. Whenever people say you can't do X with crypto, there is always something they don't know about that proves them wrong.


Thanks, I haven't heard of this.


> unless you're willing to buy crypto with bundles of cash and risk getting mugged

I'm trying not to fall into a "Survivorship bias" here but I made 10s if not 100s of trades on LocalBitcoin years ago without issue. I wasn't meeting at people's houses or in some dark alley, I was in the Kroger (grocery store) parking lot or even inside Kroger or the Mall. I don't disagree with your point that fiat->crypto is not as easy as some people pretend it is but I just wanted to push back a little bit on the second part of your statement.


https://sandstorm.io/

This is the closest project I can think of.


Yes, sort of, as is Freedombox and Urbit and probably a few others. So another way of phrasing my post is that I'm surprised Jeff Bezos (or one of his ilk) hasn't gotten tired of waiting for Sandstorm/Urbit/etc to get good enough for my grandma to use, and just assigned 5k dev-years to the project.


Technically, one can still buy cryptocurrency using a Visa/MC card and then use that to pay for PornHub. They've made it more inconvenient certainly but I don't see why card companies should be forced to directly do business with anyone.


The fact that they shut down the API and Android app.


Ah, of course.


Depends on the motivation for being vegan. I think vegans who used to eat meat but stopped for environmental/ethical reasons would. Whereas people who never ate meat (e.g. religious reasons) would probably avoid it since they have no motivation to eat meat and it seems too similar (uncanny valley) to something they've always avoided.


It's common for vegans and vegetarians - whatever their reason - to become disgusted with meat after a long enough period.

I think it makes more sense for these products (impossible, beyond, ..) to:

1 - Not worry too much about existing vegetarians / vegans

2 - Put more attention towards the growing number of people who eat meat less frequently

3 - Get prices below real meat and then, I think, it's game over


... or have adverse physiological reactions to it. I recall when once I ate what my friends told me was raw fish (as part of a Chinese New year party). I didn't get an odd taste at all .. but a couple of hours later threw up. I'm vegetarian from birth and my cheeky friends just watched me eat it without warning me!


That's just evil. Bad friends


I agree with you, although the "uncanny valley" for fake meat is definitely something I've experienced even though I'm full vegetarian for merely over a year now. I went to a restaurant that had rather convincing fake-chicken and it was a strangely unpleasant experience, even though I used to eat chicken regularly before.

But I think all these meat alternatives are a great thing for meat lovers who try to reduce their consumption for ethical reasons.


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