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Firefox's Web Push Notification System Announced

Posted by Soulskill on from the convergent-alert-evolution dept.

eldavojohn writes "Describing Notifications as 'somewhere between email and IM,' Mozilla has announced this push technology as a way to receive notifications from websites without having to keep them open in your browser — as well as receiving them on your mobile device. A JavaScript API reveals early interface ideas by the team. This core concept is not new — both Google and Apple have their own push notification systems for Android and iOS respectively. However, 'It's important to note that this push notification system is distinct from the existing desktop notification mechanisms that are already defined in pending standards. The desktop notifications that websites like GMail and Seesmic Web display to Chrome users, for example, will only work when the website is left open in a tab. Mozilla's push notification system moves beyond that limitation.' Mozilla is attempting to take push notifications to the entire web for any website to use."

5 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. Interesting Concept by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's like we're fighting with ourselves though. "I really love these web apps, but I really wish they weren't web apps"

  2. more spam please! by HarrySquatter · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yay! A new spam vector!

    1. Re:more spam please! by HarrySquatter · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Riiight. Because no one will ever find a way to abuse it. No, that never happens.

    2. Re:more spam please! by sexconker · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Riiiight. Because it couldn't at all be possible to have a settings page like this:

      From which sites do you wish to permit push notifications?
      slashdot.org
      news.google.com
      cnn.com

      No, your browser would have to accept (and display!) every single notification ever sent to you. Makes perfect sense.

      And for each little notification bubble, why couldn't there be a little button? "Don't allow any more notifications from this service." Done.

      It's like saying you just have to deal with spam emails. No, you don't. That's what spam filters, whitelists, etc. are for. This sort of service sounds like it would be whitelist-based to begin with, so anyone who abuses the service can easily be blocked.

      Sorry, this post cannot be displayed.
      Please make sure you enable cookies, javascript, popups, and ads from yet.another.spamming.and.tracking.domain.from.google.com .

  3. Will it even work? by Todd+Knarr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Will it work:

    • When the browser isn't running?
    • When the machine's behind a NATing router that isn't configured for port forwarding or a DMZ?
    • When the machine's behind a firewall that blocks all incoming connections that aren't associated with an outbound connection?

    If it can't, then we're going to be able to use it how again?