For a Better Web

Ever wondered how the features in your favorite browser come to life? In this episode, Bruce Lawson from Vivaldi Browser chats with Stephanie Stimac from Igalia, the open-source consultancy that’s quietly shaping the web.Listen to how a small team of 22 people is driving major browser advancements like CSS Grid and the :has() selector. Stephanie shares her journey from corporate life at Microsoft to Igalia’s cooperative model, where decisions are made collectively, and everyone has an equal say.We also talk about the development of browser engines and the challenges of funding open-source projects. Whether you’re a developer or just curious about how the web evolves, this conversation offers a glimpse behind the scenes of browser development.Show notes:

• Stephanie's personal site

• Stephanie on Mastodon: @[email protected]

• Stephanie's weekly newsletter

• Igalia website
• Bloomberg & Igalia, CSS Grid
• The CSS Highlight Inheritance Model
• CSS :has()
• Servo project
• Verso
• State of the Browser talk
• "Spice" in Dune
• Google vs DOJ

Join Bruce Lawson and Vivaldi Browser CEO Jón von Tetzchner as they review the top tech stories of 2024! In this episode, they discuss the landmark Google monopoly ruling, the shifting dynamics of the browser market, and their thoughts on the Apple Vision Pro. They also explore the future of Chromium, rate each topic as "brat" (good) or "næt" (not so good), and share insights on the challenges of building and maintaining a browser engine.

Show notes:

• Mr Shakespeare’s comedies

• Google vs DOJ
• United States v. Apple (2024)
• Bloomberg terminals based on Chromium
• Presto rendering engine
• KHTML
• Vivaldi user agent changes
• Open source maintainers are drowning in junk bug reports written by AI
• BCA
• Vivaldi Social for a free Mastodon account
• Social Web Foundation launches, supported by Vivaldi

In this episode of For a Better Web, Bruce chats with Léonie Watson, accessibility advocate and director of TetraLogical. They dive into Léonies journey from web designer to accessibility champion, her work with the W3C, and the challenges of making the internet better for everyone. From navigating accessibility standards to why keyboard testing is a game-changer for developers, it’s a mix of tech insights and great stories (including the time Léonie accidentally hugged Tim Berners-Lee!). Whether you’re a web developer or just curious about how the web works behind the scenes, this episode has something for you.

Show notes:

• Léonie’s personal website

• Léonie on Mastodon

• TetraLogical website

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

• Web Applications Working Group

• Draft W3C Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 3.0

• HTML design principles

• Web Incubator Community Group (WICG)

• “The remediation gap” blogpost

• W3C Board of Directors

• Eloas v Microsoft patent case

• Keyboard testing video

• “Accessibility Unlocked”: TetraLogical’s introduction to accessibility
• Maguire v Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (2000)

In this episode, Bruce’s guest is Evan Prodromou, Research Director of the newly-launched Social Web Foundation. They discuss interconnected social networks and ActivityPub, the open standard that Evan co-authored which enables cross-platform connections, how this tech reshapes online interactions, and the Foundation’s work to support digital rights and diversity. They also go into key topics like privacy, content control, and the importance of diverse voices in social media.

Show notes:

• Evan on Mastodon

• Social Web Foundation

• Social Web Foundation launches, supported by Vivaldi

• ActivityPub specification

• Data Portability in ActivityPub (“LOLA”, draft)

• Threads has entered The Fediverse

Bruce chats with John Ozbay, founder of Cryptee, a privacy-preserving photo and notes Progressive Web App based in Estonia. They discuss how he keeps the platform insulated from Big Tech and how, when Apple tried to remove Progressive Web Apps across the EU with just three weeks' notice, he fought to save his company, employees, and customers—eventually traveling to Brussels to question Apple’s lawyers. They also talk about the piano he built.

Show notes:

John's webpage: https://johnozbay.com

Cryptee: https://crypt.ee

In this engaging first episode, we sit down with Jón von Tetzchner, CEO of Vivaldi, and Laurent Ach, CTO of Qwant, to discuss the unique missions and values of Vivaldi and Qwant—two European tech pioneers committed to privacy, innovation, and user empowerment.

Discover how these companies embody European identity in the digital world, from their adherence to stringent data protection regulations to their support for diverse European languages and cultures.

We also take a deep dive into the technical challenges and triumphs of building a search engine and a browser, exploring topics like crawling, ranking, and indexing through Qwant's ongoing rebuild efforts.

Finally, we discuss the vital role of user feedback and community engagement in shaping their products. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or simply curious about Europe's digital landscape, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of privacy-first technology.