Replace Dillo with links2 GUI in off-line help links in antiX 23

[Member PPC]

Dillo is basically just useful for reading the off-line help files included by default in antiX. I noticed that since the last update Links2 does render webpages much better – I use it in my 32bits laptop for viewing news sites, blogs, etc.
I suggest that Dillo can be removed from antiX 23 and be completely replaced by links2 GUI – eliminating this once handy but now almost useless web browser, and with that cleaning up a little bit our OS. Two extremely light browsers is a but too much, now that only one will do.
This also has the “pro” of making people aware of how useful links2 can be. It can render very complex web pages, but most simple html, with text and pictures, are completely readable!

P.

• This topic was modified 2 weeks, 1 day ago by PPC.

[Member PPC]

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Even better solution: antiX-viewer (I never tested it on my less powerful devices):

Ex: antix-viewer /usr/share/antiX/FAQ/index.html

It looks very much like an webapp…

Con: antix-viewer has problems rendering some pages, like zzzfm help page.

P.

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 1 day ago by PPC.

[Moderator Brian Masinick]

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Using links2 works fine for me; using antiX 22 at the moment; I will check antiX 23 soon when I visit my antiX 23 instance…

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Brian Masinick

[Member Robin]

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Hello PPC!

I have checked out some help pages and compared the results between dillo and links2. While generally both render the help pages fine for me, there is an unwelcome issue with links2: It opens all help files in huge windows mostly covering the full screen, comprising of huge empty grey background area only, while dillo opens the very files in reasonable sized windows always. So links2 is not really what I’d call superior to dillo… Possibly my rating would be different if this issue could be fixed in some way, so links2 doesn’t come up with that stupid huge windows for displaying help texts.

Moreover Links2 is lacking of an icon in the system status bar, there is a blank space where it should be when a help page is opened.

Links2:

Dillo:

Concerning the third alternative: As long antiX-Viewer can’t render all help pages, it is not an universal replacement.

So I’d think keeping dillo at least until links2 once will be fixed would be reasonable.

(Btw, there is a bug in Network assistant; as long the help is displayed by links2, you can’t follow the steps in its window, which is corrupted when moving around. But this is another issue.)

Windows is like a submarine. Open a window and serious problems will start.

[Member Robin]

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The above screenshot of senseless huge windows in links2 for small help texts was taken from antiX 23. But the same issue is present on antiX 21/22. The help window wouldn’t even fit on screen (which is not that small, 1440x900px) …

dillo doesn’t have this very issue.

Windows is like a submarine. Open a window and serious problems will start.

[Moderator Brian Masinick]

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Oh well, ideas are sometimes helpful, sometimes not.

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Brian Masinick

[Member techore]

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I’ve made this suggestion before. Use xdg-open and permit the user to decide.

https://manpages.debian.org/bullseye/xdg-utils/xdg-open.1.en.html

[Member blur13]

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I dont understand the criticism of Links2. Just resize the window? The beauty of html is that it will fill out the space given to it.

Links2 is actively maintained and developed. The stable release of Dillo is 7yrs old. You’ll have a much easier time surfing the web using Links2 than Dillo. Links2 also has a text only mode that runs in a terminal, so arguably its the most “lightweight” of the two.

• This reply was modified 2 weeks ago by blur13.

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[Member Robin]

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blur13 wrote:

I dont understand the criticism of Links2. Just resize the window?

Well, in the first place it should not fill my 70 cm screen with an empty grey plane mostly when opening a simple help document. This is ridiculous. And the borders of the window are that small it’s really hard to grab for resizing. Consider, you have to do it again and again when opening help windows for reading while exploring antiX. Links2 should simply open in a reasonable size by default when showing the help information, just like dillo perfectly does, then everything would be fine.

Windows is like a submarine. Open a window and serious problems will start.

[Member PPC]

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Like Mr Masinick said, not all ideas are good for everyone 🙁

That is way sharing them on-line can be helpful, often people instantly see problems that are not apparent to the person that initially had the idea…

I do love links2, and I can use it for ready the help files better than I can antix-viewer (that, at least does render frames, which links2 can’t do correctly).
For those wanting to test my idea I suggest trying some of links2 options. Ex:

xlinks2 -html-break-long-lines 1 /usr/share/antiX/FAQ/index.html

And I also found odd that it’s the single program I remember seeing that has no toolbar icon… That I can’t solve… and it can be problematic

P.

[Member calciumsodium]

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For me on antiX23 beta1,

xlinks2 /usr/share/antiX/FAQ/index.html

and

xlinks2 -html-break-long-lines 1 /usr/share/antiX/FAQ/index.html

gives me the same output:

• This reply was modified 2 weeks ago by calciumsodium.

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[Moderator Brian Masinick]

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I will add that whether links or links2 present the desired size by default the height and width can be explicitly set using the -mode argument.
These characteristics can be optionally provided if needed:

       -mode <parameter>
              depth is 16, 256, 32K, 64K, 16M or 16M32) and defines the graphics mode, on X  the  format
              Set menu background color in graphics mode. RRGGBB are hex.
              Set menu foreground color in graphics mode. RRGGBB are hex.
              Display images in graphics mode.
              Scale images in graphics mode.
              Number links in text mode. Allow quick link selection by typing link number and enter.
              In text mode, walk through table by rows (0) or columns (1).
              Margin in text mode.
              Size of font on pages in graphics mode.
              Text color in text mode.
              Link color in text mode.
              Background color in text mode.
              Ignore colors specified in html document in text mode.
              Text color in graphics mode.
              Link color in graphics mode.
              Background color in graphics mode.
              Ignore colors specified in html document in graphics mode.

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Brian Masinick

[Moderator Brian Masinick]

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If we want to use links2 as the default and we want to specify particular sizes, we can add as many different parameters as needed and include it into any automated procedure, so there are definitely ways to make specific appearance for particular hardware characteristics.

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Brian Masinick

[Moderator Brian Masinick]

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RE: “Moreover Links2 is lacking of an icon in the system status bar, there is a blank space where it should be when a help page is opened.”

This can also be overcome; in the worst possible case, use /usr/share/icons/Adwaita/48×48/legacy/web-browser.png or a similar .png or .jpg alternative in any of the icon folders.

The more important question to answer is whether we are more concerned about using a tool that hasn’t been actively maintained for several years, or are we more concerned about having a particular icon available or having to manually set a couple of resources to provide a reasonable appearance?

These are not my choices to make, but I have found that there are options available and the effort to locate them and make adequate provisions is not overwhelming, so I’m simply providing that information for anyone seeking to have their own choices available. Doesn’t matter one way or the other to me because I can definitely customize my own system, which is generally what I do anyway.

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Brian Masinick

[Moderator Brian Masinick]

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Again regarding icons, beneath /usr/share/icons, web-browser.png is available in the antix-numix-bevel:, antix-numix-square:, antix-papirus:, www-browser.png is also available in /usr/share/icons/numix-square-antix/48×48/apps.

There may be a few other “browser-like” icons available with a more extensive search; we can also import them if necessary; anyone needing help can contact me with a personal request.

I’m willing to help; the Internet and some relatively simple searches in our own repo directories can find lots of useful information too for those willing to look.

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Brian Masinick

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