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Limitations of Console Web Browsers
Hello,
What are the limitations of console web browsers? Obviously they generally don't allow for the display of graphics (I think w3m can handle this through the framebuffer). Nor do they run flash (that may be a plus for some people). Can they handle javascript (well, at least that which doesn't require a mouse)? Can they stream audio? Do they handle css? frames? tables? What about https? Would I be able to order stuff from Amazon or fill out government forms on lynx? etc., etc.
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w3m would propably be best here, displaying IMAGES in virtual terminal (xterm) dunno for console, has TABS, displays TABLES, dunno about iframe, javascript and flash does not work as I remember, css, autio, no. HTTPS should work if I recall corectly.
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The functionalities of each console browser tend to different, visual restrictions are dependent on the TERM type uses, and as you said, graphics are typically unsupported, I guess a very determined author could make use of aalib.. but none that I know of do.
Protocol specific things like HTTPS and IPv6 support are possible, I know for sure that OpenBSD's lynx fork has them. A subset of Javascript and CSS would be possible, but, there are limitations.. even the rendering of HTML is best guess. Try out the available browsers, see how they manage the site you're trying to access.. lynx links (has an X port too..) & w3m. I don't know any others off-by-heart. Last edited by BSDfan666; 29th August 2008 at 03:45 PM. |
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This feature is more-or-less broken. It tries to make use of the svgalib (I think), which must be used as root user (if you can even get it to work in the first place). So root is browsing the web - does that sound safe to you.
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And the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) |
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They were kinda popular in the early/mid 90's, but with the complexities of sites increasing.. as ephemera pointed out, the browsers have difficulties trying to render the site in some legible form.
Still, I wouldn't rule them out entirely.. they can be useful to browse mailing list archives, and some forums still render adequately enough. The OpenBSD site is nice for example, unlike NetBSD/FreeBSD, OpenBSD has decided to keep the classic style alive. (Which, I kinda wish more people would do..). As respect, I made this post via lynx.. without emoticons. |
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I think that the NetBSD site uses frames - does the OpenBSD site use tables or something else?
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And the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) |
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On lynx vs. links - they both seem to have similar memory usage (is there a way to do more accurate memory stats than just top?). And they both seem to be just as snappy. Are they both similarly safe (i.e., no security vulnerabilities)?
It just seems that links renders some pages better (i.e., with tables and such). If they are both equal in system usage and security, what would be the benefits of lynx over links? (of course the feature set of graphical browsers is much greater, but I'm exploring textual browsers at this point. )
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And the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) |
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elinks works rather well, it has some support for frames, javascript, etc.
I would prefer a graphical browser any day of the week, but if that's not an option for some reason, elinks works so-so.
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UNIX was not designed to stop you from doing stupid things, because that would also stop you from doing clever things. |
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links/elinks have never really failed to render a page in a decent enough to use. Although I admit, the pages I've checked only ever had issues with [early] Opera 9.x
If one can put up with the textual nature and the level of feature support using either links, elinks, or some other form of them. Is actually quite a nice way to surf the web, especially if you need to find something. Particulally so if t he website design is hard to navigate in lynx (or you just can't wrap your mind around it). You can even use the mouse to go through pages and options. I to prefer a GUI based browser most of the time, it's just more convenient -- I need the same browser without much regard to OS. And links does not render graphics very nicely last time I tested it's abilities under X. Many times however, I'll be working on something and just (ab)use my shells job management, and fire off lynx to look up docs. Heck, even Live Journal works well with lynx, after so many years lol.
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Thanks for the replies.
I know that console browsers had limitations (graphics being the most obvious), I just don't know how much. Most of the sites I visit are still able to be navigated even if frames and tables don't render properly. Some are pretty messed up, and some rely so much on fancy rendering, flash, javascript, etc. that any meaningful browsing can only take place in IE or Firefox. When I'm working strictly in the console (as I am doing more and more), I find it annoying to have to load up X just to run a browser. The biggest unknown for me is https. Of course, even if https does work, who knows if sites that employ it are renderable in the console (so much reliance on java, javascript, etc.)? I guess more experimentation. I guess that's one gripe that can come out of this thread - more sites should limit their reliance on the 'bells and whistles' technologies such as flash, etc. and focus more on content delivered. I know I'll strive as best as I can to make my sites 100% console browser compatible.
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And the WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us. (John 1:14) |
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I read about that, they'll be using Webkit.. or so I read, and a new Javascript core.
Will it be useful? I don't know... it's probably a marketing thing, lot's of users use Google but continue to use really horrible browsers. (Internet Explorer, for example..). They claim it'll be open source, that's a big thing... it'll also bundle their "Gears framework" (Isn't that Java?). Time will tell. |
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UNIX was not designed to stop you from doing stupid things, because that would also stop you from doing clever things. |
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With lynx run as a regular user, I don't really think you can get any security issues: aside from the usual "oops" style bugs that pop up in any code base. I find lynx easier to navigate with (via keyboard) then links out of box, but maybe it's because I've used lynx a lot longer. The way links lays out pages, you really are not missing that much beyond images and javascript. It's close enough that there is little mental change to usage from gui browsers, anymore then using kedit after living with notepad.
@Carpetsmoker yes they do and with better markup then I've seen on many sites, but the web is about content not sex appeal ;-)
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My Journal Thou shalt check the array bounds of all strings (indeed, all arrays), for surely where thou typest ``foo'' someone someday shall type ``supercalifragilisticexpialidocious''. |
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Coming back to links and NetBSD, what I wanted to muck around with (and again, doubt will work) is a thing called DirectFB, which is apparently supported by links. Now, the DirectFB README says it used to work on NetBSD 1.6, but that was a long time ago . I didn't see it in the precompiled packages for 4.0. Anyway, that all seems like an avenue to fool around with -- definitely not the sanctioned way to proceed -- and see what happens. But for me it's a low priority thing and I'm not sure when I'll get around to it. Would be interesting to know if anybody had luck with that or not. Quote:
* I like using vi keys for moving in a web page. links doesn't support them. (FWIW, I was able to hack them in, to a point.) * When you cancel a page load with the Z key in links, it kills what you've got so far and goes back to the prior page. This can be quite annoying if you had what you wanted on the new page. * When you move back through the history in links, you don't always end up on the link you started at, you may be at the top link in the page. Similary, when you load a new page, you're not on any link in the page, you have to hit DownArrow to get to the first one. * lynx can be a useful file manager, e.g., you can tag things and delete them. I like links a lot for certain things (like reading this forum), but lynx is so venerable and has so many features that links isn't a true drop-in replacement like the authors claim. (Not that it needs to be.) Last edited by IdOp; 8th September 2008 at 08:23 PM. |
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