The news aggregator Reddit remains caught in the storm after announcing exorbitant prices for access to its API, sparking widespread protests among users and moderators. Many believe the next target of its executives is the classic version of Reddit, but the good news is that it still works perfectly. If you prefer that interface, the Old Reddit Redirect extension, compatible with Firefox and Chrome, will automatically redirect all requests.
Citing the threat of chatbots and their training process as the main reason, Reddit decided to end free access to its API. Starting July 1, Reddit will charge $12,000 per 50 million requests, a sum that essentially blocks third-party access. The most striking example is the Apollo app, which halted its development to avoid a potential charge of 20 million dollars a year.
Protests were quick to appear. A large number of subreddits remain in private mode, and many have directly decided to close their digital doors. The inevitable disappearance of alternative software reminds us that the official Reddit app is not an option, and the current design of its page leaves much to be desired... but there is an alternative: The classic mode of Reddit, old.reddit.com. Typing the address manually is not complicated, however, an extension called Old Reddit Redirect helps us automate the process.
Access the classic version of Reddit with Old Reddit Redirect
The extension is open source, and anyone can study its code more closely, but basically it changes Reddit's main domains: reddit.com, www.reddit.com, np.reddit.com, amp.reddit.com, and i.reddit.com. The only address that remains on the whitelist is new.reddit.com, in case we need to enter the new design at all costs.
The extension also removes the cookie banner, blocks the rendering of raw image addresses as HTML, and adjusts gallery links, adapting their content to the classic comment system. Finally, it is worth noting that the classic Reddit site may work better on more modest systems. The extension is compatible with Firefox, and the most popular flavors of Chromium. Give it a try!
Official site and downloads: Click here
