Re: [w3c/manifest] BREAKING CHANGE: remove beforeinstallprompt event (#836)

As yet another web developer commenting on this, I greatly oppose this PR and favor @mgiuca's compromise in #843 (Honestly, I'm shocked that this functionality is being put on the chopping block at all).

As mentioned several times, the ability to badge an app as installable has immense value to both the users and developers.  We need to begin to educate users that they don't need to go to the app store to get our apps.  They are looking at it **now** and can install it to their device like any other app.  Burying the option in the browser UI (`especially browsers that conveniently further bury the option below the fold...`) is essentially killing the functionality.  Yes, every site can be installed.  But giving this feature the same level of visibility in the context of a personal blog as you would a shopping list application or game that works entirely offline is just turning it into white noise that that the user will ignore.

Is the automatic prompt associated with the "beforeinstallprompt" event appropriate?  I don't know.  I feel like it shouldn't be automatic.  After reviewing thread, the original issue raised by @rniwa (#835 **"beforeinstallprompt : Prompting user makes it to hard to discern whether the user truly wanted to "install" a web app"**) does not seem to be the heart of the matter.  This could be addressed with a counter proposal that would require user interaction before prompting the native WebAPK install/Add to Homescreen functionality. but as stated here: https://github.com/w3c/manifest/issues/835#issuecomment-565123787

>> The real issue is the automatic "mini info bar" which shouldn't be automatic (or shouldn't exist at all) but let the developer decide when he can inform the user that the application is installable (and allow him to install it with the same experience despite browsers differences) is a must have.
>
> I understand you and some other developers feel that way, but this is precisely what we're objecting. We don't want to give away that control to web apps / sites.

A lot of time could have been saved if the original issue had been stated as "beforeinstallprompt: Sites should not be allowed to prompt installability".

With that appearing to be the heart of the matter, like others, I'm having a very difficult time following the reasoning behind opposing this control.  And judging from the other comments from web developers, I'm not the only one.

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Received on Tuesday, 10 March 2020 17:58:41 UTC