This is why I don't use searxng as my daily driver! I'm too lazy to self host and they're always down.

Had no idea! Thanks for informing me. I will keep this post up because I think it is an interesting discussion to have

Safari allows you to install adblockers, there's multiple options too. Most vpns these days also come with adblock even if your browser doesn't allow it.

I used Narwhal most of the years I used reddit, it also had ads like the official app, but the difference is it ran so much smoother for many years! Main reason why I switched off it was slow development was causing it to become a bit buggy, not the ads.

I was a bit sad about the API changes, but I kept official app around for uploading video/image posts since those hosted on reddit started to get more views than imgur/other host website ones. So I wouldn't have minded switching apps full time. What got me angry was Spez's mistreatment of the Apollo dev. I am absolutely not a fan of the Apollo app, but no one should be treated that way. Plus the realization that many websites that use reddit API that I use frequently will go away as well (such as saving videos, pushshift reddit search, and spotlistr). That's what got me initially away from reddit.

It was fine when there was three (some comments here say back when there was one...or two which I guess depends on joining point haha). But I personally found the balance between gold, silver, and platinum the sweet spot. Gold for really good posts, silver for posts that, while not as good as gold, were still pretty helpful/decent, platinum being the best of the three, where the post was so extraordinary it deserved more than gold.

When they added more rewards it removed the whole flow. All of them were the most worthless, cringworthy memes, and a lot of them were given out for literally free. To make things worse, they were often misused as well, there were a ton of posts marked with the cringe "wholesome" award that were very not wholesome because the users awarding didn't have any of the other free awards and couldn't pay.

Getting reddit gold beforehand was already having a perception of being "cringe" but I think the addition of the many "meme awards" only made things worse. I think it would have been better if a system was implemented where awards could have been voted upon to posts that truly deserved it or were considered "historic" in some way.

Yeah this is the message I intend. I still check reddit occassionally for the random question (and also to work on my userstyle since it's inspired by the colorscheme). However, I don't stay in too long, don't upvote, comment, or create posts, since that adds traffic to the site.

You're welcome!

kbin enhancement script is the closest thing right now I think, but /m/kbinStyles has a lot that are worth looking into

Nah I disagree, perhaps cause I am a zoomer but all the zoomers I know and communicated with online have been way more civil and understanding than previous generations. They even apologize to each other when a conversation goes way out of hand. Toxicity can go across every generation, but the millennial internet was/is a lot worse.

When I find a website I find interesting, I usually use the firefox addon feedbro to find an rss feed in the site. I create folders based on domains or website type to help categorize things. It has worked for a lot more websites than I expected.

I'm no longer in the sadness stage of grief, now I am angry. I have thought of all the stupid things they've done since I joined in 2018

First they made the awful new layout

Then they promised to implement css in new reddit, only to never do so

Then they introduced too many award variations, and made it so people could get them for free, removing what value the awards had.

Then they made customizable snoos, which while cute were uneccesary.

Then they introduced, barely advertised, then killed reddit cspan. Never heard of it? Can't blame you!

Then the introduced NFT avatars.

Then they did that awful april fools arg that was so hidden only a few did it and those who found the answer found it on discord. Also the answer was reddit was run on a literal potato which seems to be truer by the day.

Then they did this API shit.

During all that time where they could have introduced features that were useful to their app and fixing up the cruft with new reddit, they slaked off in order to increase profits. Only two features that were useful were ever introduced during 2018 - 2023: polls and gallery uploads. That's it.

So I am sad for the communities, but reddit itself? Nah.