
NetSurf: Small, fast, free web browser - zurn
http://www.netsurf-browser.org/
======
draven
It looks like today is Alternative Browser Day on HN.

So for those who don't know it, there's also Xombrero:
[https://opensource.conformal.com/wiki/xombrero](https://opensource.conformal.com/wiki/xombrero)

It's based on Webkit so it's more compatible with the "modern web" than
dillo/netsurf.

~~~
XzetaU8
"dwb" is also webkit based but more minimal (Support for Adblocking, among
other things)

[http://portix.bitbucket.org/dwb/](http://portix.bitbucket.org/dwb/)

~~~
grp
and as an alternative: qutebrowser!

same concept as dwb but with Qt and not gtk for those who cares.

[https://github.com/The-Compiler/qutebrowser](https://github.com/The-
Compiler/qutebrowser)

------
eis
It's a bit hidden on the page in the documentation so I'll write it here to
save people time:

NetSurf doesn't support Javascript properly.

For some that might be OK but for most it'll be a showstopper.

~~~
smcl
Is it "NetSurf doesn't support javascript and likely won't" or "Netsurf
doesn't support javascript yet"?

~~~
swiley
They're in the process of rewriting the DOM handler to support dynamic changes
from JavaScript. JavaScript itself runs well.

------
unexistance
windows builds

[http://ci.netsurf-browser.org/builds/windows/](http://ci.netsurf-
browser.org/builds/windows/)

not mentioned anywhere from download page

update: cannot open HN... no Ctrl-L

~~~
j_s
Not sure what you mean by "no Ctrl-L" (no shortcut to jump to address bar?);
most connection issues with off-brand browsers are SSL-related:

[http://download.netsurf-
browser.org/netsurf/releases/ChangeL...](http://download.netsurf-
browser.org/netsurf/releases/ChangeLog.txt)

 _Removed support for all SSL versions due to vulnerabilities._

~~~
Albright
NetSurf seems to support SSL to the extent that it connected to my site, which
scores an A+ on the Qualsys SSL Labs test, without any issues.

On the other hand, I agree that not being able to hit Command-L to jump to the
address bar as with every other graphical browser (as well as many other
browser-like applications) just… doesn't feel right.

------
awqrre
Any https website that I visit with netsurf, I get this empty warning:
[http://imgur.com/7bmDqnP](http://imgur.com/7bmDqnP) ... but I used the
version available in my repo, which is 2.9 .

------
edward
NetSurf includes multiple framebuffer front ends, including: the Linux
framebuffer, SDL, X and VNC.

The VNC server surface uses the libvncserver library to provide a
straightforward unsecured VNC server. Multiple clients may connect.

------
amelius
While I applaud competition, I fear that more browsers will make it ever more
difficult to develop working code that doesn't break at the next update. I
guess the middle ground is that developers are supposed to follow the major
browsers, while the small browsers have to follow them too. This could work in
practice (I suppose users have gotten used to things breaking on the web), but
somehow it still feels like a failure of the field of Software Engineering.

~~~
JupiterMoon
Isn't this what standards are for? If everyone follows them then no worries..

~~~
amelius
Yes. This is the theory. But haven't you ever seen browser-support tables? For
instance, this one: [http://caniuse.com/](http://caniuse.com/)

------
bizarref00l
[http://tkhtml.tcl.tk/hv3.html](http://tkhtml.tcl.tk/hv3.html) HV3 Tcl/Tk Web
Browser

------
nine_k
Posting this from NetSurf. Pretty neat. Unlike Dillo, NetSurf managed to let
me log in to HN, post, and upvote.

Currently it is consuming ~50M of RAM, about 10x less than Firefox with the
same one tab.

------
splitbrain
Most sites I tried were somewhat broken. But to my surprise my own website
worked just perfectly (sans javascript powered comments and ads of course).
And blazingly fast!

------
oso2k
The suckless guys have their webkit-based browser, surf [0].

[0] [http://surf.suckless.org/](http://surf.suckless.org/)

------
sheenobu
I'm getting blocked visiting the site... weird.

> Your page is blocked due to a security policy that prohibits access to
> category > Remote Proxies.

~~~
swozey
Probably because it has browser in the url or something idiotic. Complain to
your IT staff who use blanket rules on their gateways,

------
fit2rule
Wonder if this will build on my old BeBox? Might be a reason to turn it on
this year ..

------
copsarebastards
Is there any analysis of the security of this browser?

------
liamzebedee
Forgive me, but why is this on the frontpage?

~~~
lexicality
You don't consider somebody writing their own browser from scratch to be
frontpage worthy?

~~~
liamzebedee
Fair enough, sorry didn't infer that from the page.

------
jordigh
Called it!

"I wouldn't be surprised that now that both of them [Firefox and Chrome] are
too complex, in a few more years someone comes out with a browser that is
simpler than both of them and is intended to replace them both."

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10400540](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10400540)

~~~
bshimmin
Well, except that the NetSurf project was started in 2002. Other than that,
you were spot on!

