Low-res & download first preference on image / media for environmentally friendly browsing

[heaversm]

Not quite sure how this would work, but I'm imagining a browser setting or flag that users could set to prefer low bandwidth media consumption. Something like "prefers-reduced-motion", but "prefers-low-bandwidth"

In the case of images, it might choose the lowest image in a `srcset`, maybe, regardless of the browser window / agent's parameters. In streaming media, it could prompt or analyze the option to download vs stream in instances where downloading would be advantageous for minimizing bandwidth / energy consumption.

[Jon]

Hey @heaversm, 

Thanks for submitting an idea to the Mozilla Connect community! Your idea is now open to votes (aka kudos) and comments.

-The Community Team

[Anonymous]

I believe that Firefox should be able to run on poor infrastructure and hardware in order to survive in the future. See also https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/new-manifesto-resist-the-economic-exploitation-of-big-tec...

[Anonymous]

There is already : 

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/save-data/

and my switchable spin-off

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/toggle-save-data-header/

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous I think functionality that affects the entire traffic like those should be done by Firefox itself, not by extensions, to protect security and privacy.

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous  Well,  it is a (unoffical) draft by  the w3c  ref. https://wicg.github.io/savedata/#save-data-request-header-field  (mdn ref. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Save-Data )  So i guess ... mozilla wont bother with adding this until it is further established/finalized.  Extension kind of fill the gap until then. 

[Cosmoreenters]

Low bandwidth button

Hi, simple on/off button needed for quick "low bandwidth mode" to minimize media content download. Should be always visible, not behind settings etc. Should consider videos and images mostly. Also if certain network resource (ads etc tracking) download takes time, skip and continue to get full page downloaded. You know better how to make these working!

Prepare for slow internet,

Survivor

[Anonymous]

Here is a similar idea: Low-res & download first preference on image / media for environmentally friendly browsing 

[Elf-Thoughts]

I noticed, Some Websites bog down a computer!

Some websites are horrible at slowing down most of my machines. I assume it's because they are loading a bunch of pictures all at once or a bunch of questionable code.

My questions are:

Is there a way to regulate the bandwidth that pictures are loading, like only loading what your screen is currently looking at?

And blocking some code that might be questionable and unnecessary for the user?

I very will often close up the tab, that is dragging my CPU down. As in "Not worth looking at, if this site drains my computer speed" or "What are they loading up to my browser?"

[heaversm]

This website has some good suggestions on how websites might implement solutions if a user has saved data on:

* serving lower bandwidth images

* stop auto-buffering and auto-playing video,

* ignore preload options

* maybe even route requests through more efficient data centers at the cost of speed?

[grisha]

Download speed throttling

Hi, it would be really nice to be able to limit network bandwidth for downloads 😀. For people that have really slow internet, downloading files and at the same time watching YouTube or just browsing the internet wouldn't be a great experience.

[Jon]

(Note: similar ideas have been merged into this thread)

[IIGoogle]

Video Smart Watch or download interruption or download pause/reduced speed function

When I download small files, or any files at all, I watch videos on YouTube or streaming services so that I don't waste time. And it is important not to waste time, and a person tries to win it all the time. So I want when I downloaded a file and watched a video at the same time, the download priority was on the video, and the lower speed on the file, if it is small, so that when I have already finished watching the video I wanted, the file has already been downloaded.

[Jon]

Thanks for submitting an idea to the Mozilla Connect community! Your idea is now open to votes (aka kudos) and comments.

[gltch]

i used a extension like bandwidth-hero, it processed the images over an server before sending 'em to me.

u also could set the compression rate and if it should be grayscale!
pretty nice.

i'm all in! hopefully y'all find a pretty good solution that helps the user and also is ease on your ressources or doesn't use them at all 🙂

even if i wouldn't need it i still would use it, even the grayscale feature to detox my brain a little while browsin' on youtube.

settings should also be per site basis that override the global configured preset (lets say youtube would get an 50% compression rate and grayscale while pinterest has none and soundcloud 20% without grayscale).

[heaversm]

Thanks - will check out Bandwidth Hero. I think the ability to make things site-specific is a good callout - or maybe universal with site exceptions, like ad-blockers tend to do.