WebKit fix: Quirk news.ycombinator to skip TextAutoSizing

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

WebKit quirk for Hacker News

  • WebKit adds a hardcoded exception so TextAutoSizing skips HN, working around a bug where font sizes are inconsistent across loads.
  • Some see this as a reasonable temporary band‑aid while a specific bug is investigated; others assume such “temporary” hacks will live forever.
  • Several argue the browser should surface when a quirk is active (UI flag or console warning) to aid debugging.

Apple guidelines, “Apple tax,” and app rules

  • Commenters debate Apple’s enforcement of App Store rules, especially for large players.
  • Some claim prominent apps violate “no account required” or payment rules, or negotiate better rates, implying inconsistent enforcement.
  • Others point to explicit exceptions (e.g., enterprise or subscription-content apps) and argue these uses are within Apple’s own rules.
  • On pricing:
    • One side wants same prices across platforms and says merchants should absorb platform fees, comparing Apple’s cut to card fees.
    • Another side says passing fees through is legitimate; otherwise Apple has no incentive to reduce its 30% take, which actually implies a ~43% price increase to keep net revenue constant.

Site-specific quirks and CORS

  • The size and content of WebKit’s Quirks.cpp surprise many, with examples like special handling for tripadvisor.com’s mixed-content images.
  • Some see this as undermining standards and fairness (“why do they get relaxed CORS?”).
  • Others note that all major engines (Chrome, Firefox, Safari) and even OSes and GPU drivers use site/app-specific patches to maintain compatibility when outreach to sites fails.

Safari/WebKit quality and browser engines

  • Experiences differ sharply: some frequently hit Safari‑only bugs and keep Chrome/Firefox as backup; others report more regressions in Chromium than WebKit.
  • On iOS, the historic requirement that all browsers use WebKit is criticized; the limited new allowance for alternative engines in the EU is viewed by some as a compliance maneuver unlikely to see broad uptake.

HN’s HTML, layout, and accessibility

  • Validator output for HN shows many errors (obsolete attributes, table misuse, duplicate IDs); some think cleanup would be a small job, others note it’s low priority.
  • Supporters say HN’s page is fast, minimal, and JS‑light, prioritizing users over “nice” HTML.
  • Critics highlight poor semantics, table-based layout, and the impact on assistive technologies; they suggest an ordered list and nested articles with proper headings and nav.

Font size and UX

  • Many find HN’s default text excruciatingly small and rely on zoom or custom CSS; others argue browser/system DPI/zoom settings are at fault and that per-site zoom solves it.
  • There is some confusion between the long‑standing small default font and the specific WebKit bug this quirk targets (HN briefly rendering text too large on first load, then shrinking).