
A Graphical Web Browser for Linux Command Line - Randy00
http://soosck.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/netsurf-graphical-web-browser-command-line-css/
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gnosis
"command line" is a bit too ambiguous a term to adequately describe where this
browser can be used.

Technically, it's made to use Linux's framebuffer, which means it can be used
from virtual consoles outside of X, but not (for example) from within an xterm
or other terminal inside X.

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Randy00
You CAN also run NetSurf inside a X terminal like xterm or xfce terminal but
anyway, what's the point? Everybody knows this is for Framebuffer...

~~~
angusgr
_You CAN also run NetSurf inside a X terminal like xterm or xfce_

Really, you can render the framebuffer into an X terminal session? That is not
possible, is it? Or is there some other port besides the GTK port, that you're
referring to?

 _Everybody knows this is for Framebuffer..._

Well, I for one didn't. I clicked through thinking it might be a console web
browser like lynx, and wondering how it would be graphical. "Command line" is
not a good descriptive term.

Looks like a neat lightweight browser, though. I've been stuck with lynx on a
linux virtual console enough times to want this. :)

~~~
Randy00
You'll forget lynx, elink or w3m the moment you start using NetSurf. It's much
more sophisticated. As to the former part of your comment, I should state that
as far as I'm concerned there are only two NetSurf frontends for Unix-like
systems (GTK and Framebuffer) and the article is just about Framebuffer
version.

~~~
jrockway
_You'll forget lynx, elink or w3m the moment you start using NetSurf._

So the situation is, I don't have X, but I do have a mouse attached? That
happens a lot...

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goodside
My netbook almost never runs X, but it still has a trackpad.

~~~
jrockway
How's that working out for you?

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dzorz
I think uzbl is much more promising. It is built on WebKit and with little
tweaks you can install it without X: <http://lug.rose-
hulman.edu/wiki/DirectFB>

~~~
cylinder714
Another WebKit-based browser, from the suckless.org guys, is Surf:
<http://surf.suckless.org/>

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thingie
What about performance? Despite all the criticism of X server, Linux
framebuffer (out of the box) usually tends to be at least ten times worse than
anything X server can offer on the same machine.

~~~
jackolas
Well it sometimes has a lower memory footprint on lowend machines.

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adaml_623
I'm sorry I don't understand how this is a Command Line application at all!

~~~
there
it's not, it's just that it doesn't run under X like most graphical
applications. it's more like running a video game under DOS.

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tvon
Note that this isn't entirely new, Links has had framebuffer console rendering
for just under a decade I think <http://links.twibright.com/>

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rick_2047
I am thinking cheap arm processor+lcd screen+embedded linux+some keys =
(cheap?) DIY tablet.

This could be a project which can make me learn embedded linux after all.

~~~
angusgr
For cheapie gizmos, you might want to look into the ARM9 VT8500 & WM8505 based
netbooks and tablets. These are <$100, there is an Android port and a Debian
port, vendor kernel source is available and there is also OSS kernel support
being developed from scratch.

Lots of fun to play with, on a budget. :)

~~~
rick_2047
To hell with the budget for now. I would love to learn all this, money can be
arranged if I present a proper research proposal (with BOM) to proper
authorities (Read my parents).

I would have to start from scratch though, all of my experience has been in
AVR and avr-gcc. Lets see how all of this works out.

