I finally tried the latest Netsurf, and it's shaping up quite nicely. Particular things worth mentioning against OWB:

* Bookmarks visible in a normal Amiga menu, so no need to open a slow graphically-intensive ARexx-implemented window like in OWB.

* "Grab and Drag" scrolling, like the Firefox plugin (and PDF viewers). I can't live without now, so I have to really thank Chris Young for implementing this so quickly! Actually, I didn't even expect him to implement it, so WOW

* Tabs. Really, OWB feels so restrictive without them, and it's hard to even open links in new windows with OWB.

* Starts really fast! Quits fast too.


Since we're doing a comparison, I might as well list a few down sides, but these should mostly be easily fixed:

* Scrolling isn't as smooth as OWB, once rendering has finished. But OWB used to be quite bad, so I guess this should be fixable eventually.

* Bookmark editor is a bit quirky & buggy in how bookmarks are added & moved. Specifially, added bookmarks don't get added to the Menu subfolder, so they don't appear in the menu without being moved there (which is a bit fiddly). When moving a bookmark up/down, the highlight doesn't follow the bookmark, so you have to keep clicking on it if you want to move it more than one position. The bookmark menu isn't updated until Netsurf is quit & then restarted. Silly little stuff like that, which should be easily fixed if Chris Y can find the time/motivation.

* If you edit the config file to make Netsurf open a screen, it currently does it using low-res (or something like that) so pixels are large & you need to auto-scroll the screen to see the whole screen. Worked (except was always 32-bit) in an older version, so probably a silly little bug. Until then you have to use Workbench screen (not a big problem).

* Rendering isn't as good as OWB yet, but that's mainly because Chris hasn't ported all the Netsurf rendering functionality to OS4 yet.

* Of course, there is no Javascript (since Netsurf does not have any yet), but you don't need this in many cases.

* Minor quibble: No progress percentage/bar showing how far page has finished overall loading/rendering, so it takes a little while to be sure the page has finished updating.

* Another minor quibble: No scroll-wheel support yet, but I prefer grab-and-drag anyway.

Last edited by ChrisH on 20-Dec-2008 at 10:28 AM.
Last edited by ChrisH on 19-Dec-2008 at 08:58 PM.

_________________
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@ChrisH

How did you get it to work? The only thing I get is a black screen with a bar at the bottom, which rather slowly degrades from something whitish to something blackish and subsequently locks up the entire system forcing me to 'pushing the button'.

I'd like to try it, but don't know how.

OldFart

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Time is a waste of life.
Get wasted all the time
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@OldFart
It just worked for me. I am using OS4.1 on a Sam440. Did you install the required AISS & dev/c/pthreads.lha ?

_________________
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It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue...

@ChrisH

AISS is installed since long time and is used by a number of apps.
threads.library (V1.4) is installed in LIBS: so should be reachable too.

Really the only thing I get is a black screen with a greyish white bar the bottom slowly moving to some other colour and finally locking up the system. I can watch it like a monkey does to a rustic old watch, but nothing changes.

???

OldFart

_________________
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Time is a waste of life.
Get wasted all the time
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@ChrisH

Quote:

* Of course, there is no Javascript (since Netsurf does not have any yet), but you don't need this in many cases.

I can't remember seeing the source code of the sites I visit without any javascript. It's like a girl without boobs: useable but hardly attractive.
It's a no-no for me.

Bye,
TMTisFree

_________________
The engineering approach to our non-problems: "build a better washer".
The scientific approach to our non-problems: "find a new energy source".
The environmentalist approach to our non-problems: "stop washing your shirts".

@OldFart

edit the ressources/options file and search for the line "use_workbench" (if not there - add it)
set it to:
use_workbench:1

this will not open a new screen and should give you a working netsurf.
of course an own screen is better.

byebye...

_________________
Michael Merkel
(Michael.Merkel@gmx.net Home)
Member of Amiga-Freunde Pfalz, OS4 Welt

@TMTisFree
No-one is forcing you to use Netsurf! But stuff like tabs, grab-and-drag scrolling & fast bookmarks is a good argument for using Netsurf instead of OWB on at least *some* sites.

_________________
Author of the PortablE programming language.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue...

@ChrisH

Quote:

No-one is forcing you to use Netsurf!

Of course! But

Quote:

stuff like tabs, grab-and-drag scrolling & fast bookmarks

are no arguments for me to use a browser. These are just decoration. If your site cannot be rendered because of an important functional limitation, well, the tool is just of no use. And most of the sites I visit (and all that I build) *required* javascript.

Bye,
TMTisFree

_________________
The engineering approach to our non-problems: "build a better washer".
The scientific approach to our non-problems: "find a new energy source".
The environmentalist approach to our non-problems: "stop washing your shirts".

@MichaelMerkel

Quote:

edit the ressources/options file and search for the line "use_workbench" (if not there - add it) set it to: use_workbench:1 this will not open a new screen and should give you a working netsurf. of course an own screen is better. byebye...

I have just downloaded netsurf from OS4Depot and netsurf insists on opening on a fakenative_640x480 screen, and the colours are all wrong.
There is no options file in the resource directory.
I cut and pasted into notepad from the guide file the contents of the options file to create it, but netsurf still insists on opening on a 640x480 screen.
If I add use_workbench:1 then it seems to open correctly, but I can't seem to get it to open on a 1280x1024 screen, which is the default in the options file.

_________________
Peter Swallow.
A1XEG3-800 [IBM 750FX PowerPC], running OS4.1FE, using ac97 onboard sound.

"There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't."

@Swoop

if you have a previous NetSurf version, run the instal script pointing to a brand new "NetSurf" drawer in another place (note that no drawer will be created by the install script)

_________________

@Framiga

Quote:

if you have a previous NetSurf version, run the instal script pointing to a brand new "NetSurf" drawer in another place (note that no drawer will be created by the install script)

I am dowloading the archive to ram: and installing there. The installer does create a netsurf drawer, so do I have the wrong version (v5911).
Both the Aminet and OS4Depot are identical, both lacking an options file.

As the screen used by netsurf is 640x480, and the options file I created has 1024x745 as the default only the upper left quarter is displayed.
The window is a drab sandy colour, and yet when I select save as PDF option, the PDF is as the netsurf web page should look.

_________________
Peter Swallow.
A1XEG3-800 [IBM 750FX PowerPC], running OS4.1FE, using ac97 onboard sound.

"There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't."

@Swoop

Sucess!!

I used Prefs/screens, and inserted open screen, after launching Netsurf.
I then changed the display screenmode to 1280x1024.
I had to select apply always to force Netsurf to open on that screenmode, but at least it now works.

_________________
Peter Swallow.
A1XEG3-800 [IBM 750FX PowerPC], running OS4.1FE, using ac97 onboard sound.

"There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't."

@Swoop

weird indeed! here (on amigaOs4.0 for classic) in average mode it doesn't create any Netsurf drawer.

anyway, first post from Netsurf (slow scrolling apart, is very fast)

_________________

@MichaelMerkel

created a file resources/options containg one single line: use_workbench:1, then started NetSurf.

Same results: a black screen with at the bottom a greyish bar. Nothing more, nothing less. At least Amiga+Q quits the whole thing. About to delete the Netsuf drawer altogether.

OldFart

_________________
Life is a waste of time.
Time is a waste of life.
Get wasted all the time
and you'll have the time of your life!

@OldFart

theres no need to create any "options" file. (at least under AOS4.0)

The install script will create a basic one.

Once NetSurf is started "Save settings"

Edit- and if you have an old curl-ca-bundle.crt in Devs:(from an old OWB installation), better to delete it.

Last edited by Framiga on 20-Dec-2008 at 06:13 PM.

_________________

@Framiga

Quote:

The install script will create a basic one.

The install script will...? You're kidding! The only thing the installscript does is throwing errors in line 27 and 37 respectively. I first commented out line 24 - 28. I then got an error in line 37. Then I quit.

EDIT:
OK. I switched language from Dutch to English. Now the script runs well. That is to say, it now halts at line 47:
Sorry... an Error Has Occurred!
COPYFILES:Couldn't copy file "Hotlist"in line 47.
DOS Error Type:Unable to accessa file or drawer -- object in use

OldFart

Last edited by OldFart on 20-Dec-2008 at 08:03 PM.

_________________
Life is a waste of time.
Time is a waste of life.
Get wasted all the time
and you'll have the time of your life!

@OldFart

Quote:

OldFart wrote: @Framiga Quote: The install script will create a basic one. The install script will...? You're kidding!

yes it does. just found it out. now it opens on a correct screen here.

maybe you're accidently using an old installer somewhere?
open a shell and type "which installer" to see if the correct one is in the search path (should be sys:utilities/installer)

byebye...

_________________
Michael Merkel
(Michael.Merkel@gmx.net Home)
Member of Amiga-Freunde Pfalz, OS4 Welt

@MichaelMerkel

GGGG! The bloody thing installed after all! Firing NetSurf up gives me now a GR...

Quote:

yes it does. just found it out. now it opens on a correct screen here.

Congrats, mate! Congrats! You've come way further then I have.

EDIT:
Deleted the whole thing.

OldFart

Last edited by OldFart on 20-Dec-2008 at 08:31 PM.

_________________
Life is a waste of time.
Time is a waste of life.
Get wasted all the time
and you'll have the time of your life!

@OldFart

"The install script will...? You're kidding!"....


maybe all this is due your "weird custom" installation!

sorry mate but i feel most of your replies "disturbing" :-/

_________________

@Framiga

Quote:

weird indeed! here (on amigaOs4.0 for classic) in average mode it doesn't create any Netsurf drawer. anyway, first post from Netsurf (slow scrolling apart, is very fast)

Have a look at the .lha file in Unarc, before unarcing, and you can see the directory structure there.
Even, more weird.

Last edited by Swoop on 22-Dec-2008 at 02:25 AM.

_________________
Peter Swallow.
A1XEG3-800 [IBM 750FX PowerPC], running OS4.1FE, using ac97 onboard sound.

"There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't."