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Problem with Mull and Duolingo (slrpnk.net)
submitted 10 months ago by franzpow@slrpnk.net to c/privacy@lemmy.ml
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Hello, I started to experience a problem with Mull and Duolingo (and also bromite) that started about 1 month ago.

Basically Duolingo tells me that my browser is not supported but it worked perfectly fine before. Anyone experienced this issue? I can't find an issue on mull repo apparently about this specific issue. Dunno if it is something about resisting fingerprint but I wonder why that happens..

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[-] stoly@lemmy.world 75 points 10 months ago

I pretty much instantly lose respect for people who design sites to only support specific browsers. With the exception of Firefox, it's all Chromium anyway so they don't really need to worry about it. This isn't like when Internet Explorer was a thing and broke web pages.

[-] ErwinLottemann@feddit.de 27 points 10 months ago

i guess it's not about the actual site not supporting some browser. it's usually about not wanting to deal with users that have problems with the page in some obscure browser caused by some random plugin or something but the user blaming it on the service. or because of tracking.

[-] brianary@startrek.website 23 points 10 months ago

So do feature testing, not user-agent sniffing! For Pete's sake, it's 2024! That's been the best practice for decades!

[-] ErwinLottemann@feddit.de 6 points 10 months ago

that's not the point. the user is going to open a ticket because something does not work because their browser does not support it. and it's way easier to tell them to install 'this browser' than to install 'a browser that supports a specific feature'. most of the users don't even know what a browser is...

[-] HumanPerson@sh.itjust.works 4 points 10 months ago

Ok, but why not do both? If the browser supports all needed features, then let the user continue. If not, recommend list of supported browsers with small text at the bottom describing what feature is needed for technical users.

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[-] reddig33@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Updating to the browsers listed isn’t going to solve a problem like the one you describe. Extensions and plug ins are still a thing in modern browsers.

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[-] toastal@lemmy.ml 4 points 10 months ago

I like that Google is always the one recommending this while also being the one that does some of the most obvious user agent sniffing

[-] stoly@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I used to work for a web hosting company and have seen so many horror cases that I agree with you that this is what is happening. I also think it's kinda lazy to just say that they won't support what people are using because it's hard. Even 5 - 7 years ago, this was much harder than it is now.

[-] gramie@lemmy.ca 6 points 10 months ago

I'm working on an application right now that requires the ability to load and save data to the local file system. Firefox does not allow this, whereas Chrome does. The whole application runs from the local file system, so I don't think there is much of a security issue.

But I actually do is test for the existence of the function to open the save or load dialog. That way, if Firefox does implement it, Firefox will work as well.

[-] emergencyfood@sh.itjust.works 5 points 10 months ago

the ability to load and save data to the local file system

That sounds like a huge security risk. I'm surprised any browser allows it.

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[-] brokenlcd@feddit.it 45 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

You can try with an extension that changes the user agent of your browser; if you use the one from either firefox or chrome for android it should work. Usually its the only thing checked by sites when identifing browsers for non telemetry reasons; if the problem persists I'm not sure what it could be

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 6 points 10 months ago

Mulls user agent is firefox

[-] Pantherina@feddit.de 4 points 10 months ago

It is Firefox ESR

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 6 points 10 months ago

No its not, at least for me:

Mozilla/5.0 (Android 10; Mobile; rv:122.0) Gecko/122.0 Firefox/122.0
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[-] franzpow@slrpnk.net 4 points 10 months ago

Tried and didn't work..

[-] brokenlcd@feddit.it 5 points 10 months ago

Then it may be something that mull is blocking to prevent fingerprinting that duolingo doesn't like, I don't know how to help in this case other than installing something like fennec in a work profile with shelter; sorry.

[-] onlinepersona@programming.dev 38 points 10 months ago

Install a user-agent switcher extension and pretent to be firefox or whatever. It should work.

[-] RedNight@lemmy.ml 3 points 10 months ago

I tried this a million different which ways a few months ago. Couldn't get Duolingo to accept it. Gave up and haven't been back since

[-] Gooey0210@sh.itjust.works 3 points 10 months ago

Maybe it wants some opengl or webrtc, which are disabled by default in mull and bromite?

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[-] androidul@lemmy.ml 32 points 10 months ago

what on gods sake are they doing so special that requires those browsers explicitly

[-] kambusha@feddit.ch 36 points 10 months ago

I'm guessing they don't want to test on any other browsers, so it's easier just to say that those aren't supported. Most likely it works on others, you just need to spoof the agent.

[-] hackris@lemmy.ml 14 points 10 months ago

This is definitely the case, but I wonder why companies don't add a button, such as "Access website without support", that would get you to the site while clearly telling you that any technical problems (of which, in 99% of cases, there will be none, since all of this seems like supporting Google internet dominance) will be ignored by support.

[-] anonymous69@lemmy.world 15 points 10 months ago

Sir, this is the internet. Morons will still complain about broken things in public forums even if you make them click through multiple dialogue boxes and popups with warnings in flashing text.

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[-] BaumGeist@lemmy.ml 2 points 10 months ago

Most likely it works on others, you just need to spoof the agent.

I have both Mull and vanilla Firefox on Android, they use all the same headers (including User-Agent) according to DuckDuckGo's "what's my user agent" tool.

My guess is that the same defaults that makes Mull more private also disables either cookies or scripts that Duolingo expects to be able to use.

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[-] flying_sheep@lemmy.ml 2 points 10 months ago

They might not actually require them, but simply display this message if some features detection code fails

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[-] Tangent5280@lemmy.world 31 points 10 months ago

Hey, I don't want to discourage your language learning, but duolingo really sucks as a language learning platform. It honestly doesn't teach you anything about actually using a language.

You might be much better served by using something like babbel, memrise or even better, Rosetta Stone. They are paid options, but well worth the price I think.

[-] stoly@lemmy.world 22 points 10 months ago

We got it for funsies and went through the final Spanish test. We're both fluent speakers, he's native. We were unable to pass the final tests--not because we didn't speak Spanish, but because it was actually a subjective interpretation of what was being said rather than an objective one, btu they treated it like it were objective. Basically you have to learn it THEIR way. As a linguist, this is a big no-no and I walked away.

[-] brrt@sh.itjust.works 8 points 10 months ago

This is the answer.

Stop supporting Duolingo.

[-] andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works 5 points 10 months ago

Rosetta Stone is there under the black flags too.

[-] Wizard_Pope@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

I would love to switch to something else but I have not found anything that peopme say is good that offers Norwegian. Do you have any suggestions?

[-] gramie@lemmy.ca 4 points 10 months ago

The best one is Language Transfer. Completely free (I'm a patron, though) and speaking as someone who has learned five languages aside from English, this is the best system outside of full immersion.

[-] reddig33@lemmy.world 24 points 10 months ago

Your browser isn’t supported because the developer or product manager who put the website together doesn’t know what the fuck they are doing. What could possibly require some cutting edge feature on a language learning website?

[-] bingbong@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 10 months ago

Duolingo is not useful anymore anyway due to enshittification. You'd be better off using programs like babbel or pimsleur >!pirate it!<

[-] dangblingus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 10 months ago

Duolingo, where your progress can be wiped out without any notice anytime the company wants to change the structure of the language you're learning. Super helpful!

[-] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 8 points 10 months ago

I mean, at least it allows for more than just Chrome. You can do worse.

[-] Albin8665@endlesstalk.org 7 points 10 months ago

Quit duolingo, there are better alternatives 😇

[-] delirious_owl@discuss.online 25 points 10 months ago

Name them. Jeez

[-] Albin8665@endlesstalk.org 12 points 10 months ago

UneeBee, Busuu, LibreLingo, Memrise, etc.

[-] gramie@lemmy.ca 11 points 10 months ago

Language Transfer is hands down the best language learning system I've ever used. Completely free, although I have a monthly patreon donation set up.

It has 10 or 12 languages, although some of them only offer a beginner course. Still, not bad considering that it was all done by one guy!

Each course is done as MP3s with a conversation between the teacher and student. You can play them on YouTube, SoundCloud, download the mp3s, or use the extremely convenient app.

[-] Secret300@sh.itjust.works 12 points 10 months ago

Can you name a few? I've been wanting to learn a new language but I've always heard Duolingo isn't the way to go

[-] Albin8665@endlesstalk.org 5 points 10 months ago

UneeBee, Busuu, LibreLingo, Memrise, etc.

[-] Pantherina@feddit.de 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

privacy.resistfingerprinting = true reports the Browser as "Firefox ESR". Not sure if this even exists on mobile tbh.

Added an Extension to my collection to toggle RFP

But for me Duolingo also displayed that after switching my Browser agent to "Chrome 121 Android 14" and also "Firefox 122 Android 14".

Fuck that app.

[-] neutron@thelemmy.club 3 points 10 months ago

Duolingo lost me when they decided to do away with user discussions. Can't believe they threw away all that.

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this post was submitted on 09 Feb 2024
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