Show HN: Dull – Instagram Without Reels, YouTube Without Shorts (iOS)

(getdull.app)

35 points by kasparnoor4 hours ago

7 comments

dlev_pika1 minute ago
Is this a way to use FB marketplace and groups without all the other bullshit?!I’m sold
danpalmer2 hours ago
Doing this as a browser extension is one thing, but selling an interface to Instagram and YouTube sounds like it's very risky.What's your basis for thinking this will work long term? I see you're selling yearly or lifetime subscriptions, suggesting you think the product can exist. There have been many attempts at this in the past that have been taken down, why is Dull different?
- wormpilled7 minutes ago
 If anyone pays for this they deserve to be scammed.
- buzzerbetrayed1 hour ago
 Why wouldn’t making a paid web browser be legal?
 - danpalmer1 hour ago
 Obviously it isn't, but also obviously: this isn't a web browser in anything but technical implementation. It's a packaged, sold, interface to a proprietary service with a set of T&Cs that they are free to enforce.Also every single one of these that I've seen before has fallen down in the same way. Chat apps that embed Facebook, third party YouTube viewer for Apple's VR headset, various other third party Instagram apps, etc.
 - Gigachad52 minutes ago
 Even if it is legal, meta and google will just block you from accessing the service.
 - nslsm48 minutes ago
 How?
 - danpalmer19 minutes ago
 I can't tell if this is a good faith question, but in the interests of good discussion, there are many ways they can do this. Technical solutions include blocking the user agent, blocking request patterns, client-side feature detection, client-side attestation, but importantly they are not limited to technical solutions, there are also things like cease and desist letters, breaches of contracts, pressure on the software distributors, lawsuits.This is no judgement of whether these are the steps they might take, or whether they would be right in doing so, I want to remain neutral on this. But I would point again to the many instances of things like this happening in the past.
 - iugtmkbdfil83420 minutes ago
 Like most things.. it is a cat and mouse game dependent on how heavily they believe their revenue could be impacted. I am not sure why you think either of those corporates would have a problem of banning individual users, who are only suspected based on the app signature..
 vakrdotme6 minutes ago
 I agree on this, cat and mouse game
bonyt18 minutes ago
For YouTube, I've used it in Safari on iOS for a while with UnTrap for YouTube that lets you disable short[1]. On desktop, a uBlock origin filter works[2].[1]: <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/untrap-for-youtube/id1637438059">https://apps.apple.com/us/app/untrap-for-youtube/id163743805...</a>[2]: <a href="https://github.com/i5heu/ublock-hide-yt-shorts" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/i5heu/ublock-hide-yt-shorts</a>
bryanhogan2 hours ago
Sounds like a good project, I also hate that Instagram pushes algorithm-driven content into your face everywhere without any options to turn it off, it's good to fight against these toxic dark design patterns.Can also recommend using Instagram with the IGPlus web extension. Or for a native Android version there's also DFinstagram.For YouTube there are many web extensions as well. On Android the YouTube ReVanced patch is really good though.IGPlus: <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/addon/igplus-extension/" rel="nofollow">https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/addon/igplus-extens...</a>DFinstagram: <a href="https://www.distractionfreeapps.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.distractionfreeapps.com</a>
- princevegeta8923 minutes ago
 Well, you don't even have to fight these patterns or these appsJust stop using these stupid apps overall. 95% of the content you find on them is useless. And today, a staggering amount of content is also fake AI crap. Save your sanity and time and remove these apps.
convexly2 hours ago
The fact that someone had to build a separate app just to get the version of Instagram from 5 years ago says a lot.
- Gigachad47 minutes ago
 I hate how we have bundled useful things alongside addiction building media. It’s like if supermarkets had drugs next to the vegetables.You can’t just leave your phone at home because you need it to 2FA at work or maps. But then you end up scrolling shorts and other junk.
- quangtrn54 minutes ago
 [dead]
joenot4431 hour ago
How does your system differ from an extension like this?<a href="https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/remove-youtube-shorts/mgngbgbhliflggkamjnpdmegbkidiapm" rel="nofollow">https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/remove-youtube-shor...</a>
- sidrag2254 minutes ago
 On firefox i use unhook for youtube. solves the shorts issue but im sure a lot of people would be less okay with what i prefer youtube to be, a search bar with nothing else.
SoKamil2 hours ago
This could have been Safari Extension
- mind_heist1 hour ago
 Instagram is not predominantly used on Safari, so Safari doesn't sound like the best place to implement something like this.
 - dnlzro1 hour ago
 The use case for this app (Dull):1. Uninstall Instagram2. Install Dull3. Use Instagram via DullThe use case for a Safari extension:1. Uninstall Instagram2. Install the Safari extension3. Use Instagram via SafariAm I missing something that is obviously better about Dull (which couldn't be replicated by a Safari extension)?(P.S. this is not meant to discourage the developer of Dull; I like the idea and your implementation seems really good.)
 - nativeit1 hour ago
 Isn’t this just WebKit with some user scripts anyway?