- This topic has 30 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated Apr 19-11:52 am by Brian Masinick.
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PPC
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?
Thanks for your interest!
Links2 is currently maintained – the current version was created
thislast month (change log here: http://links.twibright.com/download/ChangeLog ).Links2 does have a .desktop file that features a generic “browser” icon, but no image is displayed in this entry on a taskbar, just an empty space… Is there an easy way to make one available, without hacking the source code?
Edit: I think I got the wrong web page in my search for links2, because it refers only to “links”???
P.
- This reply was modified 2 weeks ago by PPC.
- This reply was modified 2 weeks ago by PPC.
Brian Masinick
links2 -g -mode 900×600 /usr/share/antiX/FAQ/index.html is a way to get links2 with a graphical display, large enough to see but not too large; of course the specific values can be adjusted.
/usr/share/links2 contains a few links2 specific images; as far as desktop files,
/usr/share/applications/links2.desktop contains a desktop entry.Hope this helps!
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Brian MasinickBrian Masinick
BTW, I used the /usr/share/applications/links2.desktop and it provides an executable image to xlinks2, which can also be selected with the IceWM Toolbar Icon Manager. When you select Links 2 an entry then goes into ~/.icewm/toolbar; if you want to add -g and -mode 900×600 or something else, even if it’s manual it’s easy to edit from there.
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Brian Masinick
blur13
PPC, thats the correct changelog for Links2.
(Sat Sep 10 16:05:02 CEST 2022 mikulas: “On Windows, change the default directory to the “Downloads” directory, so that downloaded files are placed there”, this is actually a game changer, it was a PITA finding downloaded files before. So now you can wholeheartedly recommend Links2 to your Window friends)
I’ve tweaked the config files of Links2 so much that what I use and see is night and day from the original config. So in fairness, I’m unable to judge how the help files would appear on an “out of the box” config. There is, however, a whole thread somewhere on this forum dedicated to optimizing the config of Links2. I think a case could be made for shipping antiX with Links2 having “sensible” defaults. With a modern font, a few display optimizations, and a “dark mode”, its a joy to browse the modern web with all webpages rendered THE SAME. The same font, the same colors. It drives me insane when one webpage will have a pink background and green text in some illegible font, the next webpage will invert those colors and use yet another font, and a third does whatever a third webpage wants to do.
And Links2 will effectively block ALL cookie pop-ups 😉
/End of endorsement
Brian Masinick
techore
@masinick et al, I think the question of what browser to use is the wrong question.
If you are open to a different approach, consider the following.
As I understand it, the help files are html, correct? If so, why would the app devs care what html reader is used? As long as they stick to relatively current html standard, it will display in any html reader that supports current html standards. Outside of antiX installing a default html reader/browser and setting it as the default, e.g. Devian alternatives, nothing more is needed by app devs.
This removes the need for a hard dependency on links2 or dillo and the user can use whatever they want.
Win win for app devs and users.
It is possible that I missed the point and no offense is intended.
Brian Masinick
@masinick et al, I think the question of what browser to use is the wrong question.
If you are open to a different approach, consider the following.
As I understand it, the help files are html, correct? If so, why would the app devs care what html reader is used? As long as they stick to relatively current html standard, it will display in any html reader that supports current html standards. Outside of antiX installing a default html reader/browser and setting it as the default, e.g. Debian alternatives, nothing more is needed by app devs.
This removes the need for a hard dependency on links2 or dillo and the user can use whatever they want.
Win win for app devs and users.
It is possible that I missed the point and no offense is intended.
Hi Techore, we’re not really talking about Web browser use in general, we are specifically saying that the Dillo Web browser hasn’t been maintained in ~7 years whereas links2 is currently maintained and similar in resource usage as Dillo.
At first it appeared that Dillo would generate a good size for viewing documentation, which is certainly true; it’s more a matter that it is well out of support. For that reason we were discussing if Links2 in graphics mode could replace it. While not as easy “immediately”, it turns out that you can change the size, switch between text and graphics mode, provide color values for any specific resource and more.
None of this conversation is pertinent to any of the modern browsers, which typically bake it a lot of functionality at a considerable cost in size and speed on old hardware.
For those who can manage it, having a browser like Firefox or Ungoogled Chrome or Chromium provides modern, rich content, and a browser like links2 provides a solid reader interface for manuals and documents, and when appropriately configured can serve as a primary browser.
Bottom line links2 isn’t replacing anything, but the discussion is regarding using links2 instead of dillo.
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Brian MasinickRobin
why would the app devs care what html reader is used?
Pretty easy to answer. User might have set e.g. a heavyweight firefox browser, with opening some dozens of sites automatically on startup as system wide browser default. Then it will take half a minute or even more a tiny help screen comes up finally, covered among Kraut und Rüben. So the idea is obviously to render the help texts independently from this bolide, using a specific viewer which comes up within a second, regardless how strong or weak (or old) the hardware used is.
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P.S.: Please don’t misread me. I don’t have any objections against links2, but the way it comes up for displaying help screens must be fixed. You can’t expect an antiX first time user to search this forum first to learn how to set up and modify his personal links2 settings on his system to allow sensible reading of the help files meant for him to read. That’s like a cat biting in its own tail…
Windows is like a submarine. Open a window and serious problems will start.
Brian Masinick
@techore you are certainly correct in stating that the help files are html and also that it’s not critical what html reader is used.
If there are any decisions about changing the html reader, that’s not for any of us to decide; we’re only looking at what individuals may choose to do if they want to use links2 instead of dillo for their personal reader.
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Brian Masinickblur13
Brian, those last two links to oracle have nothing to do with links2.
Techore, IIRC the argument for hardcoding Dillo to the help files was to showcase a lightweight browser. antiX caters to low spec hardware and this was an opportunity to demonstrate the capability of html-only browsers.
techore
I must not be understanding the requirements. I do not see why a specific html browser would be called or specific dimensions set but it must important or you wouldn’t be having the discussion.
Backing away. 🙂
techore
@Blur13, I posted after you.
Interesting idea. My proposal doesn’t prevent that goal but I now understand the reasoning. You didn’t have to explain and I appreciate you taking the time. Thank you.
I must not be understanding the requirements. I do not see why a specific html browser would be called or specific dimensions set
Important is not a specific dimension, but simply that the help text doesn’t flood mostly the whole screen with an empty background. The suggested solution to set a specific dimension is not the very best idea, it won’t fit for other screen resolutions and sizes of other users then.
Concerning why a specific help text renderer should be used, please re-read my answer above.
https://www.antixforum.com/forums/topic/replace-dillo-with-links2-gui-in-off-line-help-links-in-antix-23/page/2/#post-104984Windows is like a submarine. Open a window and serious problems will start.
Brian Masinick
Brian, those last two links to oracle have nothing to do with links2.
Techore, IIRC the argument for hardcoding Dillo to the help files was to showcase a lightweight browser. antiX caters to low spec hardware and this was an opportunity to demonstrate the capability of html-only browsers.
You’re right about those links; they had to do with devices and networking; I think I was participating in another conversation and accidentally sent them here instead of another site I was looking at hours ago!
Dillo is certainly a lightweight browser and it has done an admirable job of displaying simple text.
As far as the discussion of links2 goes, Robin’s most recent comment highlights the initial reason for the discussion.
As it’s currently configured, links2 is NOT a plugin replacement for Dillo because our installed configuration makes no provisions for size, color, spacing or any other usability factor. Without question it’s a more up-to-date customizable tool, it’s simply not set up that way in our environment by default.Once again, whether that’s done or not wasn’t the intent of our conversation; we were simply looking at whether it *could* do the job; the answer to that, for those willing to experiment is yes; whether that’s in any antiX plans is something that would be a feature request and that was not the intent here.
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Brian Masinickcalciumsodium
For me, I would prefer to keep Dillo as is to read the help files in antiX. It takes only 1.6 Mb of disk space.
I use links2 all the time. It is my main browser for news and to read the antiXforum. I have a certain kind of configuration set up for it for me. If links2 comes preset with a certain default configuration for another purpose, that would take away my freedom to set up the links2 the way that I want for my own needs. I would prefer to keep Dillo as is as a dedicated help file reader in antiX.
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