May 23, 2026
Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Chaos
Don't Roll Your Own
Web users are DONE with fancy sites that break the basics
TLDR: The article argues that websites should stop replacing simple browser features like scrolling and links with flashy custom versions that often make pages harder to use. Commenters mostly cheered that on, mixing fury, sarcasm, and one big exception: some say custom date pickers can actually be better.
A developer’s plea to stop websites from reinventing basic browser features has turned into a full-on comment-section therapy session for annoyed internet users. The original post argues that just like experts say “don’t make your own security system” for sensitive software, website makers should also stop tinkering with everyday basics like scrolling, clicking links, selecting text, copy and paste, password boxes, and date pickers. In plain English: if your browser already does it well, maybe leave it alone.
And wow, the crowd had feelings. One of the loudest reactions was pure rage at custom scrolling and altered password fields, with one commenter basically mocking designers as saying, “the built in behavior is simply not good enough for us!” before roasting them for creating a miserable experience. Another went even bigger, declaring that JavaScript in the browser was a mistake and spiraling into a grand theory about runaway complexity. Yes, the drama escalated fast.
But not everyone grabbed a pitchfork. One more measured voice offered the classic internet hedge, “It Depends,” while complaining about bloated pages that load huge amounts of extra stuff just to animate a button. And in a rare twist, date pickers became the thread’s surprise wildcard: one commenter admitted many custom ones are actually better than the browser default, especially since the built-in versions can be ugly and hard to style.
The vibe? A mix of exasperation, sarcasm, and exhausted humor from people who just want websites to work normally again.
Key Points
- •The article draws an analogy between the security principle "don't roll your own crypto" and web design decisions involving browser-native UI behavior.
- •It states that established, peer-reviewed cryptographic tools have largely replaced home-grown cryptography in production systems handling sensitive user data.
- •The author cites flawed RC4 implementations with issues such as improper initialization vectors, predictable keystreams, and plaintext leakage as examples of risks from custom security code.
- •The article argues that developers should generally avoid custom implementations of browser-native features including scrolling, link navigation, text selection, context menus, copy and paste, password fields, and date pickers.
- •The author identifies custom page scrolling and custom link navigation as particularly frustrating examples because they disrupt familiar browser interactions users rely on daily.