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alternative web browsers reflection...

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mardybear
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#16 Post by mardybear »

Sorry for stepping out for a month, meant to follow-up earlier. Obviously didn't test all available Linux browsers but for sure the ones that might meet my needs, which include stable/mature software, simple old-style interface, highly configurable, bookmark sync across multiple systems, full noScript type control. This is what i settled on and maybe it will help others should future versions of Iceweasel mimick Firefox's undesirable IMO Australis theme.

1. Firefox with the Classic Theme Restorer add-on. This would be the simplest solution (duh) but not my preference. I don't like installing extra add-ons if not required and the classic theme restorer does not fix all issues related to Australis/new Firefox releases.

2. Pale Moon. Used it for several weeks on an old Ubuntu install and plan to keep it as that system's primary browser. Runs stable and snappy enough. Based on Firefox with supposedly *optimized* code for newer hardware (requires an SSE2 capable processor). Less of an installation footprint than firefox but does not support old processors. Runs all of my favourite Firefox add-ons, stable, easy to set up, traditional interface, lots of configuration options, etc. Really like this browser. More info can be found here: http://www.palemoon.org/info.shtml. Doesn't follow Firefox's quick release cycle - thank goodness. Syncs with Firefox/Iceweasel no problem. Does not require installation and can simply be run from the executable or via symbolic link. When first run creates a new profile in ~/.moonchild productions so it doesn't interfere with any Iceweasel/Firefox install and can be run concurrently, which came in handy when setting up sync and select about:config preferences. Firefox based so it can still utilize any preferred userChrome.css script.

3. SeaMonkey. Not sure why i didn't think of this earlier and nobody mentioned it in the thread - not very popular i guess. I first tried SeaMonkey quite a while ago but don't think it was compatible with Firefox sync at the time. It's based on mozilla code. Still like it and am presently running it instead of Firefox on my oldest computer, which does not have an SSE2 compatible processor and can't run Pale Moon. SeaMonkey seems to run slower than Firefox, especially when processing scripts, and this observation appears to be supported by online performance comparisons. It is, however, very stable and just feels solid. Not compatible with all Firefox add-ons but all of my favourite add-ons still worked with one exception (autoclose bookmark&history folders). It is compatible with Firefox sync except the latest release (version 2.26) broke sync indefinitely with no fixes planned for releases 2.26-2.29. This was a deal breaker for me but was able to work around the issue by installing version 2.25 first, setting up sync and then upgrading to version 2.26. Now sync works just fine. Similar to Pale Moon and Iceweasel, SeaMonkey is also highly configurable and has a very simple logical layout. It creates a separate seamonkey folder in ~/.mozilla and can also run concurrently with Firefox. SeaMonkey does not require installation and can also be simply run from the executable or via symbolic link and still utilizes a userChrome.css script if desired. Just use it as a browser but it's actually a suite that includes a built-in mail and newsgroup client as well as an html editor. Definitely worth trialing. Even though it's a little sluggish i plan on continuing with it and it may one day be my primary browser. More info here: http://www.seamonkey-project.org/

Sorry for the long post but i thought it migh be an insightful read for anyone interested in alternative browsers, especially for those who don't have as much free time on their hands to test browsers :)
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Randicus
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#17 Post by Randicus »

mardybear wrote:Sorry for stepping out for a month, meant to follow-up earlier.
You are forgiven.
3. SeaMonkey. Not sure why i didn't think of this earlier and nobody mentioned it in the thread - not very popular i guess.
I thought it was no longer in development.

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mardybear
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#18 Post by mardybear »

Still very much active...the latest stable release was June 16, 2014.
http://www.seamonkey-project.org/

Great alternative browser, especially if you like rootin' for the underdog.
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Randicus
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#19 Post by Randicus »

Still very much active
That is good to know. Thanks. It is indeed a good browser.

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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#20 Post by Randicus »

My confusion was due to Debian discontinuing support of IceMonkey. Your bringing it up prompted me to give it another try after a couple years. I am now using it with my Slackware system. I like SeaMonkey very much. It is like a sane Firefox.

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mardybear
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#21 Post by mardybear »

Yeah sane Firefox. Took a little longer to setup just right but really good browser.

Not sure how much changed, but Linux releases for upcoming SeaMonkey 2.27 can be found here. Although i also remember reading v2.27 might be cancelled as they proceed towards v2.28. Hopefully this is not an indication of slowing development.
http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/ ... ral-trunk/

I generally only use 3-5 add-ons and the only one that didn't work in SeaMonkey was autoclose bookmark&history folders, which i was able to install using this SeaMonkey extension converter...now works flawlessly.
http://addonconverter.fotokraina.com/
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#22 Post by Randicus »

I claimed it is a thing of beauty. Here is the proof. :D
http://static.dyp.im/HHnNzEvDGs/a21dda6 ... ba97c7.png

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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#23 Post by esp7 »

not to be offensive but that's ugly as hell :lol: i think it is almost impossible to find uglier skins :mrgreen:
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#24 Post by Randicus »

Oh, my feelings are hurt. :cry:
You obviously have no sense of aesthetic beauty. :evil:
The good thing is, no matter how ugly a GUI is, it is better looking than I am. :D

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mardybear
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#25 Post by mardybear »

not to be offensive but that's ugly as hell :lol: i think it is almost impossible to find uglier skins :mrgreen:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :wink:
That's what i was thinking too but didn't want to say anything...and i even like the look of default SeaMonkey, which some say belongs back in the Windows95 era. The wood grain look reminds me of the 1978 plymouth woody station wagon i learned to drive as a teenager. Randicus - you have style. The beauty of Linux - everyone can have it his/her own way.

edit: thought Randicus was spelled Randiculus
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#26 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

Randicus wrote:I claimed it is a thing of beauty. Here is the proof. :D
http://static.dyp.im/HHnNzEvDGs/a21dda6 ... ba97c7.png
Each to their own, I suppose...
:)
Here is my idea of beauty in a browser (dwb):
Image
deadbang

Randicus
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#27 Post by Randicus »

I do not see an image, only "http://s9.postimg.org/nksrs46oe/2014_09 ... _scrot.jpg"
But not a problem. I am familiar with dwb. It is beautiful.
mardybear wrote:That's what i was thinking too but didn't want to say anything...
Another uncultured boor completely lacking good taste. :lol:
thought Randicus was spelled Randiculus
That is indeed one alternate spelling. :D

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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#28 Post by craigevil »

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harrycaul
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#29 Post by harrycaul »

Some people from Opera

https://vivaldi.com/#Home

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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#30 Post by stevepusser »

harrycaul wrote:Some people from Opera

https://vivaldi.com/#Home
64-bit only currently, but runs fine on Wheezy.
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#31 Post by harrycaul »

Yep, working on Wheezy here and fast as well.

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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#32 Post by sirfer »

mardybear wrote:Can't even move the reload button to a preferred location.
you had me right there, couldn't agree more.

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dasein
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#33 Post by dasein »

stevepusser wrote:
harrycaul wrote:Some people from Opera

https://vivaldi.com/#Home
64-bit only currently, but runs fine on Wheezy.
Early pre-release of the Vivaldi browser is now available in both 32-bit and 64-bit. The flat UI sucks (as do they all), but it looks like it will present an interesting alternative for power users (which as always the target audience of the original Opera browser).

Speaking of which: just to clarify, this browser originates with the folks who originally started Opera, back in the day; it is in no way related to the current Opera browser (a good thing, IMO).

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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#34 Post by oswaldkelso »

vivaldi is freeware so not my cup of tea, but the opera troubles did spur another free browser that I use on Dragora. fifth-browser http://fifth-browser.sourceforge.net/ still alpha but functional, light. Well, certainly lighter than the big browsers. It's also fltk so suited Dragora-tiny (no-gtk/qt).

My main browser is Seamonkey I find the interface much nicer than iceweasel/icecat I use chatzilla so that's a bonus and the only addons are a fork/tweak of little-monkey theme https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/seamon ... seamonkey/ so it works with the latest version and tree-view for chatzilla https://github.com/hagabaka/chatzilla-p ... annel-tree.

I also tend to install Netsurf and Dillo built with enable ssl and links that I use with the -g option.
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Re: alternative web browsers reflection...

#35 Post by JLloyd13 »

I'm primarily a Chrome user (and Google user in general- Google Drive, Docs, etc. ) so that works well for me, but when I'm just surfing the web I like to use elinks. I know its a little (alot) more primitive then most people use, but it does have tabbed browsing, bookmarks, history, etc. Just no pictures/videos :wink:
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