Re: [battery] What’s this spec about again? (#64)

There are several issues with the "[Energy Saver Mode](https://github.com/w3c/battery/blob/gh-pages/energy-saver-mode-explainer.md)" Proposal: 

1. **Privacy Concerns**: Can enable fingerprinting and cross-site tracking by monitoring unique device states.
2. **Security Risks**: Potential misuse of energy saver mode status by malicious websites.
3. **Inconsistent User Experience**: Different implementations can lead to inconsistent behavior across websites.
4. **Over-Complication**: Adds unnecessary complexity for web developers.
5. **Dependence on Web Compatibility**: Varying browser and device support can cause compatibility issues.
6. **Potential Misuse**: Websites might intentionally degrade performance based on energy saver status.

And similarly, Issues with Using the Battery API for Model Downloads and Long-Running Tasks:

1. **Privacy Concerns**: Exposing battery information can lead to fingerprinting and tracking across different websites, violating user privacy.
1. **Inconsistent Experience**: Battery-based decisions can lead to inconsistent user experiences, as not all devices or browsers may handle battery data the same way.
1. **User Trust and Control**: Users might not trust websites to make decisions based on battery status, preferring OS-level controls for critical decisions.
1. **Complexity and Maintenance**: Adding battery checks increases the complexity of web applications and requires ongoing maintenance to handle different scenarios and devices.
1. **Limited Web Capabilities**: Web APIs do not provide the same level of detailed and secure battery management as OS-level solutions, making web-based decisions less reliable.

Even the case of: 

>"You're about to download a 2 GB model file, but it appears you're not plugged in and your battery level appears to be pretty low. Would you still want to proceed?"

That's something the OS or user agent should decide, not the site (the site is not the user agent and not in a position to make any sort of good determination). Or better, improve the models so they are not 2GB... The point being: the Battery API is a solution looking for a problem, where the actual problems need to be addressed elsewhere. 

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Received on Sunday, 26 May 2024 07:24:41 UTC