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Browsers on Linux
Stephen Fluin - 2010
What is a browser?
Browsers
• Connect you to documents and applications remotely
• Use standardized (kind of) interface specifications• Act as a platform for future applications
Browsers
Are Everywhere• Smartphones (Android, etc)• Desktops• Laptops• Applications
Browsers contain
• Advanced rendering engines• Complex document parsers• Complete programming environment• Layered plugin-architectures• Tons of legacy support• Full media players
A Short History of Browsers
Who are the major players?
• Internet Explorer• Firefox• Chrome• Opera
Also• Safari• Lynx• w3m• everybody else
Linux
FirefoxChromium (Chrome)OperaInternet Explorer
KonquerorEpiphany
What is the difference?
Differences
SpeedFunctionalityStyleCompatibility
Speed
Source: Jacob Gure, Six Revisions
Functionality
Extensions and Plugins vs. Built-In
Developer ToolsNavigationSynchronizationProcess IsolationCrash RecoveryDirect RenderingProtection and Safety
Style
• Customizationo Themeso General UI
• Philosophy
Compatibility
• Not 100% for anything on Linuxo Netflixo Active-X
• Firefox is Best
Compatibility Workarounds
Firefox/Opera - User Agent SwitcherDisable Javascript
Chrome vs. Chromium
• Proprietary and Closed Source vs. BSD Open Source License
• Extra tracking vs. Full Control• Be careful with defaults
Trying Them Out
(On Ubuntu 9.10 or 10.04)
Firefox - ~12M
• Ubuntu Default (3.5.8)o sudo apt-get install firefox
• Latest Stable (3.6)o sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/firefox-
stable• Bleeding Edge (Minefield) (3.7)
o sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-mozilla-daily/ppa
Chrome/ Chromium - ~13M
Chrome• http://google.com/chrome
Chromium• sudo add-apt-repository ppa:chromium-daily/ppa
I haven't found sources for Chromium on Windows. In the past week or so, chromium-browser has been added to the Lucid Lynx packages.
Opera - 13.5 mb
Official http://www.opera.com/browser/download/
The Future
• Faster Browsers• More Support and Standards• Direct Rendering• The Death of Flash
HTML5
• Easier to develop• More innovations• More interactivity• GEO-IP• Video
Video
<video></video>
Native support for audio and videoHuge Battle - H264, Ogg/Theora, MP4, ?
Canvas and SVG
Drawing like FlashGaming and visualizations1990s technology
Python Browser -A little bit of fun
#!/usr/bin/env python import sysfrom PyQt4.QtCore import *from PyQt4.QtGui import *from PyQt4.QtWebKit import * app = QApplication(sys.argv) web = QWebView()web.load(QUrl("http://penguinsunbound.net"))web.show() sys.exit(app.exec_())