We are still actively working on the spam issue.
Difference between revisions of "Web browsers"
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Mappainter (talk | contribs) m (threw in ice cat in firefox fork examples since it's related to /g/'s interests. Important firefox forks should be listed and expanded upon; I wouldn't be able to write it though.) |
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| − | Personal needs and viewing preferences vary wildly, so one should ideally test several major web browsers before making a decision. No one choice is going to be perfect for everyone. | + | Personal |
| + | needs and viewing preferences vary wildly, so one should ideally test | ||
| + | several major web browsers before making a decision. No one choice is | ||
| + | going to be perfect for everyone. | ||
__TOC__ | __TOC__ | ||
| Line 10: | Line 13: | ||
[[File:Palemoon.png|80px|thumb|right|Best Firefox fork{{CN}}]] | [[File:Palemoon.png|80px|thumb|right|Best Firefox fork{{CN}}]] | ||
| − | '''[[Firefox|Mozilla Firefox]]''' is a free and open source web browser descended from the Netscape Communicator. It is known for its championing of the open web during Internet Explorer's reign of terror and its extensive customisability via add-ons and settings. Although many other browsers now support third-party extensions, Firefox's add-ons generally tend to be a cut above the rest. | + | '''[[Firefox|Mozilla Firefox]]''' is a free and open source web browser |
| + | descended from the Netscape Communicator. It is known for its | ||
| + | championing of the open web during Internet Explorer's reign of terror | ||
| + | and its extensive customisability via add-ons and settings. Although | ||
| + | many other browsers now support third-party extensions, Firefox's | ||
| + | add-ons generally tend to be a cut above the rest. | ||
| − | Numerous forks and spin-offs of Firefox exist and are a common sight on /g/ and /tech/ given Firefox's perceived transition into a Chrome-imitating memory whore, for example [http://www.palemoon.org Pale Moon] and [http://www.waterfoxproject.org/ Waterfox]. In addition, Mozilla offers a [http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/developer/ developer edition] of Firefox, which most notably ditches the controversial "Australis" theme which ships with recent versions of Firefox. | + | Numerous forks and spin-offs of Firefox exist and are a common sight on |
| + | /g/ and /tech/ given Firefox's perceived transition into a | ||
| + | Chrome-imitating memory whore, for example: [http://www.palemoon.org Pale | ||
| + | Moon], [http://www.gnu.org/software/gnuzilla/ Ice Cat], and [http://www.waterfoxproject.org/ Waterfox]. In addition, | ||
| + | Mozilla offers a [http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/developer/ | ||
| + | developer edition] of Firefox, which most notably ditches the | ||
| + | controversial "Australis" theme which ships with recent versions of | ||
| + | Firefox. | ||
=== Chromium === | === Chromium === | ||
| − | [[File:Software_Chromium.png|80px|thumb|right|Google, (probably) de-botneted]] | + | [[File:Software_Chromium.png|80px|thumb|right|Google, (probably) |
| + | de-botneted]] | ||
| − | '''[[Chromium]]''' is a free and open-source Web browser known for its extremely fast JavaScript execution and multiprocess security model. Upon release, Chromium was ahead of the competition by leaps and bounds in terms of raw performance. In the years that followed though, Firefox and Opera largely equalled and in some cases surpassed its performance advantage, although Chromium still tends to maintain a slight edge in UI responsiveness and JavaScript execution. While usually recommended for use, many users stay away from this browser as it has not been audited as much as Firefox has, and in protest of its (easy to disable) tracking features. | + | '''[[Chromium]]''' is a free and open-source Web browser known for its |
| + | extremely fast JavaScript execution and multiprocess security model. | ||
| + | Upon release, Chromium was ahead of the competition by leaps and bounds | ||
| + | in terms of raw performance. In the years that followed though, Firefox | ||
| + | and Opera largely equalled and in some cases surpassed its performance | ||
| + | advantage, although Chromium still tends to maintain a slight edge in UI | ||
| + | responsiveness and JavaScript execution. While usually recommended for | ||
| + | use, many users stay away from this browser as it has not been audited | ||
| + | as much as Firefox has, and in protest of its (easy to disable) tracking | ||
| + | features. | ||
| − | == <span style="color:#ff0000">Non free</span> web browsers == | + | == <span style="color:#ff0000">Non free</span> web browsers |
| + | == | ||
| − | [[File:Inori-tan.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Superior waifu browser not available on Freedom™ systems]] | + | [[File:Inori-tan.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Superior waifu browser not |
| + | available on Freedom™ systems]] | ||
=== Google Chrome === | === Google Chrome === | ||
| − | '''[[Google Chrome]]''' is a <strike>[[botnet]]</strike> <strike>proprietary fork</strike> [[Welcome to the Botnet|botnet]] of the free and open source Chromium project. While effectively offering the same browsing experience as Chromium, it integrates Google's "Pepper" Flash plugin, a Foxit-based PDF reader and controversial user-tracking capabilities. If you value your privacy or reputation on /g/ and /tech/, it's best to avoid this one. | + | '''[[Google Chrome]]''' is a <strike>[[botnet]]</strike> |
| + | <strike>proprietary fork</strike> [[Welcome to the | ||
| + | Botnet|botnet]] of the free and open source Chromium project. While | ||
| + | effectively offering the same browsing experience as Chromium, it | ||
| + | integrates Google's "Pepper" Flash plugin, a Foxit-based PDF reader and | ||
| + | controversial user-tracking capabilities. If you value your privacy or | ||
| + | reputation on /g/ and /tech/, it's best to avoid this one. | ||
=== Opera === | === Opera === | ||
| − | '''[[Opera]]''' is one of the oldest web browsers that is still under active development. Up to version 12.16, Opera was based on its in-house Presto layout engine and characterised by its customisability, innovation, broad out-of-the-box feature set (including a torrent client, email, IRC and FTP support) and respect for web standards. Several now ubiquitous features like tabbed browsing and speed dial made their débuts in Opera. | + | '''[[Opera]]''' is one of the oldest web browsers that is still under |
| + | active development. Up to version 12.16, Opera was based on its in-house | ||
| + | Presto layout engine and characterised by its customisability, | ||
| + | innovation, broad out-of-the-box feature set (including a torrent | ||
| + | client, email, IRC and FTP support) and respect for web standards. | ||
| + | Several now ubiquitous features like tabbed browsing and speed dial made | ||
| + | their débuts in Opera. | ||
| − | With the release of version 15, Opera development radically changed direction. Presto was discontinued in favour of Chromium's Blink layout engine and numerous features were excised, with the email client becoming a standalone program and GNU/Linux support and native 64-bit builds both being suspended (although the former has made a recent comeback). As a result, "Chropera" is often derided as a shadow of its former self, and a small minority of /g/ and /tech/ users fervently stick to the archaic old version. | + | With the release of version 15, Opera development radically changed |
| + | direction. Presto was discontinued in favour of Chromium's Blink layout | ||
| + | engine and numerous features were excised, with the email client | ||
| + | becoming a standalone program and GNU/Linux support and native 64-bit | ||
| + | builds both being suspended (although the former has made a recent | ||
| + | comeback). As a result, "Chropera" is often derided as a shadow of its | ||
| + | former self, and a small minority of /g/ and /tech/ users fervently | ||
| + | stick to the archaic old version. | ||
=== Internet Explorer === | === Internet Explorer === | ||
| − | '''Internet Explorer''' or is the default web browser in [[Microsoft]]'s Windows operating systems, and is based on Microsoft's Trident layout engine. Before version 9, Internet Explorer was infamous for its myriad security vulnerabilities, poor performance, disregard for most web standards and perversion of the few that it bothered to acknowledge. Since then, however, Microsoft has been actively developing Internet Explorer into a tolerable web browser, and has even discontinued the brand name to distance themselves from its notoriety. | + | '''Internet Explorer''' or is the default web browser in [[Microsoft]]'s |
| + | Windows operating systems, and is based on Microsoft's Trident layout | ||
| + | engine. Before version 9, Internet Explorer was infamous for its myriad | ||
| + | security vulnerabilities, poor performance, disregard for most web | ||
| + | standards and perversion of the few that it bothered to acknowledge. | ||
| + | Since then, however, Microsoft has been actively developing Internet | ||
| + | Explorer into a tolerable web browser, and has even discontinued the | ||
| + | brand name to distance themselves from its notoriety. | ||
=== Safari === | === Safari === | ||
| − | '''Safari''' is the default web browser in [[Apple]]'s Mac OS X. It is based on Apple's Webkit layout engine, a KHTML fork. Compared to Chromium and Firefox, Safari has a slow development cycle and is lacking in features. | + | '''Safari''' is the default web browser in [[Apple]]'s Mac OS X. It is |
| + | based on Apple's Webkit layout engine, a KHTML fork. Compared to | ||
| + | Chromium and Firefox, Safari has a slow development cycle and is lacking | ||
| + | in features. | ||
== Obscure hipster browsers == | == Obscure hipster browsers == | ||
| Line 46: | Line 102: | ||
=== Gecko === | === Gecko === | ||
| − | * [http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/ K-Meleon] is a free and open-source Firefox-like browser for Windows. It is old and unmaintained, but potentially useful if running older Windows operating systems. | + | * [http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/ K-Meleon] is a free and open-source |
| + | Firefox-like browser for Windows. It is old and unmaintained, but | ||
| + | potentially useful if running older Windows operating systems. | ||
| − | * [http://www.seamonkey-project.org/ Seamonkey] is a continuation of the Mozilla suite. Unlike most modern web browsers, it is an Internet suite, complete with bundled programs for email, IRC, and web design. It is compatible with most Firefox add-ons. | + | * [http://www.seamonkey-project.org/ Seamonkey] is a continuation of the |
| + | Mozilla suite. Unlike most modern web browsers, it is an Internet | ||
| + | suite, complete with bundled programs for email, IRC, and web design. It | ||
| + | is compatible with most Firefox add-ons. | ||
=== WebKit === | === WebKit === | ||
| − | * [http://midori-browser.org/ Midori] is a lightweight web browser with a GTK+ interface. It is a component of the XFCE Goodies package. | + | * [http://midori-browser.org/ Midori] is a lightweight web browser with a |
| + | GTK+ interface. It is a component of the XFCE Goodies package. | ||
| − | * [http://rekonq.kde.org/ rekonq] is a lightweight web browser with a Qt interface. It is a core component of the K desktop environment. | + | * [http://rekonq.kde.org/ rekonq] is a lightweight web browser with a Qt |
| + | interface. It is a core component of the K desktop environment. | ||
| − | * [http://otter-browser.org/ Otter Browser] is a project that aims to recreate and improve upon the features of classic Opera using the Qt5 toolkit. It is in development at the time of writing, and is thus unsuited for general use. | + | * [http://otter-browser.org/ Otter Browser] is a project that aims to |
| + | recreate and improve upon the features of classic Opera using the Qt5 | ||
| + | toolkit. It is in development at the time of writing, and is thus | ||
| + | unsuited for general use. | ||
| − | * [http://www.vivaldi.com/ Vivaldi] is made by the developers of classic Opera, who were apparently as frustrated with its change in direction as /g/ and /tech/, and attempts to reinvent it. It is still in early development at the time of writing. | + | * [http://www.vivaldi.com/ Vivaldi] is made by the developers of classic |
| + | Opera, who were apparently as frustrated with its change in direction | ||
| + | as /g/ and /tech/, and attempts to reinvent it. It is still in early | ||
| + | development at the time of writing. | ||
| − | * [http://mason-larobina.github.io/luakit/ Luakit], [http://portix.bitbucket.org/dwb/ Dwb], [http://www.uzbl.org/ Uzbl] and [http://github.com/The-Compiler/qutebrowser QuteBrowser] are all minimalistic browsers with a keyboard-driven, Vim-inspired interface. Luakit is deprecated and most are based on archaic versions of WebKit. | + | * [http://mason-larobina.github.io/luakit/ Luakit], |
| + | [http://portix.bitbucket.org/dwb/ Dwb], [http://www.uzbl.org/ Uzbl] and | ||
| + | [http://github.com/The-Compiler/qutebrowser QuteBrowser] are all | ||
| + | minimalistic browsers with a keyboard-driven, Vim-inspired interface. | ||
| + | Luakit is deprecated and most are based on archaic versions of WebKit. | ||
| − | * [http://surf.suckless.org/ Surf] is a browser developed according to the [http://suckless.org/philosophy Suckless philosophy], which means it's effectively a WebKit frontend. | + | * [http://surf.suckless.org/ Surf] is a browser developed according to |
| + | the [http://suckless.org/philosophy Suckless philosophy], which means | ||
| + | it's effectively a WebKit frontend. | ||
=== KHTML === | === KHTML === | ||
| − | * [http://www.konqueror.org/ Konqueror] is a Web browser and file manager that was once a core component of the K desktop environment. Webkit and Blink are both descendants of its KHTML layout engine. | + | * [http://www.konqueror.org/ Konqueror] is a Web browser and file |
| + | manager that was once a core component of the K desktop environment. | ||
| + | Webkit and Blink are both descendants of its KHTML layout engine. | ||
=== Terminal === | === Terminal === | ||
| − | * [http://links.twibright.com/ Links] is a text-based browser that can display images. | + | * [http://links.twibright.com/ Links] is a text-based browser that can |
| + | display images. | ||
| − | * [http://w3m.sourceforge.net/ w3m] is another text-based browser that can display images. | + | * [http://w3m.sourceforge.net/ w3m] is another text-based browser that |
| + | can display images. | ||
| − | * [http://www.elinks.cz/ ELinks] is a text-based based web browser that runs from the terminal. | + | * [http://www.elinks.cz/ ELinks] is a text-based based web browser that |
| + | runs from the terminal. | ||
| − | * [http://lynx.isc.org/ Lynx] is the oldest web browser still under active development. | + | * [http://lynx.isc.org/ Lynx] is the oldest web browser still under |
| + | active development. | ||
== Common Plug-Ins == | == Common Plug-Ins == | ||
| − | * [https://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html Adobe Flash Player] is required to play the flash video incorporated into many modern Web pages. It is infamous for being bloated, slow, and exploitable. While it is being phased out in favour of HTML 5 video, Flash is unfortunately still required in many cases. Flash should not be used on GNU/Linux systems, due to the fact that it is no longer being updated for that platform. | + | * [https://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html Adobe |
| + | Flash Player] is required to play the flash video incorporated into many | ||
| + | modern Web pages. It is infamous for being bloated, slow, and | ||
| + | exploitable. While it is being phased out in favour of HTML 5 video, | ||
| + | Flash is unfortunately still required in many cases. Flash should not be | ||
| + | used on GNU/Linux systems, due to the fact that it is no longer being | ||
| + | updated for that platform. | ||
| − | * [https://mozilla.github.io/shumway/ Shumway] is an HTML5 technology experiment that explores building a faithful and efficient renderer for the SWF file format without native code assistance. | + | * [https://mozilla.github.io/shumway/ Shumway] is an HTML5 technology |
| + | experiment that explores building a faithful and efficient renderer for | ||
| + | the SWF file format without native code assistance. | ||
| − | * [https://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/ The Silverlight Plug-In] is required to play Silverlight content. Silverlight was essentially Microsoft's answer to Flash, but it failed to gain any significant market share. Like Flash, it is being phased out in favour of HTML 5. Unlike Flash, it is not common enough to justify its use. | + | * [https://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/ The Silverlight Plug-In] is |
| + | required to play Silverlight content. Silverlight was essentially | ||
| + | Microsoft's answer to Flash, but it failed to gain any significant | ||
| + | market share. Like Flash, it is being phased out in favour of HTML 5. | ||
| + | Unlike Flash, it is not common enough to justify its use. | ||
| − | * [https://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp The Java and Java Deployment Toolkit Plug-Ins] are installed with the [http://wiki.installgentoo.com/index.php?title=Questionable_software#Java_Runtime_Environment Java Runtime Environment]. While the Runtime Environment itself is often necessary for the use of desktop Java software, these plug-ins are extremely vulnerable and rarely used. They should be disabled in all cases. | + | * [https://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp The Java and Java |
| + | Deployment Toolkit Plug-Ins] are installed with the | ||
| + | [http://wiki.installgentoo.com/index.php?title=Questionable_software#Java_Runtime_Environment | ||
| + | Java Runtime Environment]. While the Runtime Environment itself is | ||
| + | often necessary for the use of desktop Java software, these plug-ins are | ||
| + | extremely vulnerable and rarely used. They should be disabled in all | ||
| + | cases. | ||
== Recommended User Scripts == | == Recommended User Scripts == | ||
=== 4chanX === | === 4chanX === | ||
| − | * [https://zixaphir.github.io/appchan-x/ Appchan X] is Zixaphir's fork of 4chan X. It combines the features of 4chan X with the rice of the Appchan and OneeChan style scripts. | + | * [https://zixaphir.github.io/appchan-x/ Appchan X] is Zixaphir's fork |
| − | * [https://github.com/loadletter/4chan-x loadletter's 4chan X] is a maintained version of MayhemYDG's v2. It lacks the controversial changes made by MayhemYDG in v3. It is a shorter, more portable script, and the only maintained fork that supports Opera 12. | + | of 4chan X. It combines the features of 4chan X with the rice of the |
| − | * [https://ccd0.github.io/4chan-x/ ccd0's 4chan X] is the continuation of Spittie's/Seaweed's 4chan X. | + | Appchan and OneeChan style scripts. |
| − | * <del>[https://github.com/aeosynth/4chan-x Aeosynth's 4Chan-X]</del> was the original version of 4chan X. | + | * [https://github.com/loadletter/4chan-x loadletter's 4chan X] is a |
| − | * <del>[https://github.com/MayhemYDG/4chan-x MayhemYDG's 4Chan-X]</del> was the ''official'' [citation needed] continuation of Aeosynth's popular 4chan X script. It may still work for you until moot changes the site. The Chrome version is in the store [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/4chan-x/cellaaeoekimmemgdheibaibbaoeefbl here]. Mayhem no longer distributes the Firefox version of his script, so [https://paste.installgentoo.com/view/raw/fb99099b#.user.js here] is a script compiled from the latest source code on Github. | + | maintained version of MayhemYDG's v2. It lacks the controversial changes |
| − | * <del>[https://github.com/ihavenoface/4chan-x ihavenoface's 4chan X]</del> added features to MayhemYDG's 4Chan X. Not officially abandoned yet, but not updated since September 6. Note that the last released version (v3.13.15) contains [https://github.com/ihavenoface/4chan-x/pull/341 security flaws] that allow scripts from 4chan or the archives to read data from any website; however, it does not appear to be able to read data protected by a session cookie. The problem has been fixed, but a fixed version has yet to be released. Anyone concerned about the issue is advised to compile the script from themselves from the source code on Github. | + | made by MayhemYDG in v3. It is a shorter, more portable script, and the |
| − | * <del>[https://github.com/seaweedchan/4chan-x Seaweedchan's 4chan X]</del> was a popular fork of 4chan X. Developed in collaboration with Zixaphir, it offered several controversial features over Mayhem's fork. Additionally, several potentially obnoxious features were made optional, such as the fixed header and the clearing and redownloading (via JSON) of the thread index. | + | only maintained fork that supports Opera 12. |
| − | * <del>[https://github.com/Spittie/4chan-x Spittie's 4chan X]</del> was a fork of Seaweed's 4chan X after it was abandoned. | + | * [https://ccd0.github.io/4chan-x/ ccd0's 4chan X] is the continuation |
| + | of Spittie's/Seaweed's 4chan X. | ||
| + | * <del>[https://github.com/aeosynth/4chan-x Aeosynth's | ||
| + | 4Chan-X]</del> was the original version of 4chan X. | ||
| + | * <del>[https://github.com/MayhemYDG/4chan-x MayhemYDG's | ||
| + | 4Chan-X]</del> was the ''official'' [citation needed] continuation | ||
| + | of Aeosynth's popular 4chan X script. It may still work for you until | ||
| + | moot changes the site. The Chrome version is in the store | ||
| + | [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/4chan-x/cellaaeoekimmemgdheibaibbaoeefbl | ||
| + | here]. Mayhem no longer distributes the Firefox version of his script, | ||
| + | so [https://paste.installgentoo.com/view/raw/fb99099b#.user.js here] is a | ||
| + | script compiled from the latest source code on Github. | ||
| + | * <del>[https://github.com/ihavenoface/4chan-x ihavenoface's 4chan | ||
| + | X]</del> added features to MayhemYDG's 4Chan X. Not officially | ||
| + | abandoned yet, but not updated since September 6. Note that the last | ||
| + | released version (v3.13.15) contains | ||
| + | [https://github.com/ihavenoface/4chan-x/pull/341 security flaws] that | ||
| + | allow scripts from 4chan or the archives to read data from any website; | ||
| + | however, it does not appear to be able to read data protected by a | ||
| + | session cookie. The problem has been fixed, but a fixed version has yet | ||
| + | to be released. Anyone concerned about the issue is advised to compile | ||
| + | the script from themselves from the source code on Github. | ||
| + | * <del>[https://github.com/seaweedchan/4chan-x Seaweedchan's 4chan | ||
| + | X]</del> was a popular fork of 4chan X. Developed in | ||
| + | collaboration with Zixaphir, it offered several controversial features | ||
| + | over Mayhem's fork. Additionally, several potentially obnoxious features | ||
| + | were made optional, such as the fixed header and the clearing and | ||
| + | redownloading (via JSON) of the thread index. | ||
| + | * <del>[https://github.com/Spittie/4chan-x Spittie's 4chan | ||
| + | X]</del> was a fork of Seaweed's 4chan X after it was abandoned. | ||
=== Other === | === Other === | ||
| − | * [https://github.com/reek/anti-adblock-killer Anti-Adblock Killer] prevents various anti-adblock methods from being effective. For best results, it must be used in conjunction with its set of [http://jsbin.com/AhewOcox Adblock Plus filters]. | + | * [https://github.com/reek/anti-adblock-killer Anti-Adblock Killer] |
| − | * [https://github.com/Nebukazar/OneeChan OneeChan] is a script for customizing the look of 4chan. Unlike Appchan X, it packaged no 4chan X features. Originally by Seaweedchan, its maintenance was continued by Spittie and now Nebukazar. | + | prevents various anti-adblock methods from being effective. For best |
| − | * [http://userscripts-mirror.org/scripts/show/87750 4Chan Linkify] changes plain-text links on 4chan into hyper-links. It is redundant if either 4chan X or the official extension are used. | + | results, it must be used in conjunction with its set of |
| − | * [https://github.com/YePpHa/YouTubeCenter YouTube Center] seamlessly integrates many features like video downloading directly into YouTube. | + | [http://jsbin.com/AhewOcox Adblock Plus filters]. |
| − | * [http://isebaro.com/viewtube/?ln=en ViewTube] forces HTML5 to be preferred over flash on a variety of popular video sites. | + | * [https://github.com/Nebukazar/OneeChan OneeChan] is a script for |
| − | ** [http://isebaro.com/viewtube/?ln=en ViewTubePlus] is like ViewTube, but for pornographic sites. | + | customizing the look of 4chan. Unlike Appchan X, it packaged no 4chan X |
| + | features. Originally by Seaweedchan, its maintenance was continued by | ||
| + | Spittie and now Nebukazar. | ||
| + | * [http://userscripts-mirror.org/scripts/show/87750 4Chan Linkify] | ||
| + | changes plain-text links on 4chan into hyper-links. It is redundant if | ||
| + | either 4chan X or the official extension are used. | ||
| + | * [https://github.com/YePpHa/YouTubeCenter YouTube Center] seamlessly | ||
| + | integrates many features like video downloading directly into YouTube. | ||
| + | * [http://isebaro.com/viewtube/?ln=en ViewTube] forces HTML5 to be | ||
| + | preferred over flash on a variety of popular video sites. | ||
| + | ** [http://isebaro.com/viewtube/?ln=en ViewTubePlus] is like ViewTube, | ||
| + | but for pornographic sites. | ||
[[Category:Browser]] | [[Category:Browser]] | ||
Revision as of 02:09, 30 April 2015
Personal
needs and viewing preferences vary wildly, so one should ideally test
several major web browsers before making a decision. No one choice is going to be perfect for everyone.
Contents
Free web browsers
Mozilla Firefox and friends
Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Netscape Communicator. It is known for its championing of the open web during Internet Explorer's reign of terror and its extensive customisability via add-ons and settings. Although many other browsers now support third-party extensions, Firefox's add-ons generally tend to be a cut above the rest.
Numerous forks and spin-offs of Firefox exist and are a common sight on /g/ and /tech/ given Firefox's perceived transition into a Chrome-imitating memory whore, for example: [http://www.palemoon.org Pale
Moon], Ice Cat, and Waterfox. In addition,
Mozilla offers a [http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/developer/ developer edition] of Firefox, which most notably ditches the controversial "Australis" theme which ships with recent versions of Firefox.
Chromium
Chromium is a free and open-source Web browser known for its extremely fast JavaScript execution and multiprocess security model. Upon release, Chromium was ahead of the competition by leaps and bounds in terms of raw performance. In the years that followed though, Firefox and Opera largely equalled and in some cases surpassed its performance advantage, although Chromium still tends to maintain a slight edge in UI
responsiveness and JavaScript execution. While usually recommended for
use, many users stay away from this browser as it has not been audited as much as Firefox has, and in protest of its (easy to disable) tracking
features.
== Non free web browsers ==
Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a botnet
proprietary fork [[Welcome to the
Botnet|botnet]] of the free and open source Chromium project. While
effectively offering the same browsing experience as Chromium, it
integrates Google's "Pepper" Flash plugin, a Foxit-based PDF reader and
controversial user-tracking capabilities. If you value your privacy or
reputation on /g/ and /tech/, it's best to avoid this one.
Opera
Opera is one of the oldest web browsers that is still under active development. Up to version 12.16, Opera was based on its in-house
Presto layout engine and characterised by its customisability,
innovation, broad out-of-the-box feature set (including a torrent client, email, IRC and FTP support) and respect for web standards. Several now ubiquitous features like tabbed browsing and speed dial made
their débuts in Opera.
With the release of version 15, Opera development radically changed direction. Presto was discontinued in favour of Chromium's Blink layout engine and numerous features were excised, with the email client becoming a standalone program and GNU/Linux support and native 64-bit builds both being suspended (although the former has made a recent comeback). As a result, "Chropera" is often derided as a shadow of its former self, and a small minority of /g/ and /tech/ users fervently stick to the archaic old version.
Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer or is the default web browser in Microsoft's
Windows operating systems, and is based on Microsoft's Trident layout
engine. Before version 9, Internet Explorer was infamous for its myriad security vulnerabilities, poor performance, disregard for most web standards and perversion of the few that it bothered to acknowledge. Since then, however, Microsoft has been actively developing Internet Explorer into a tolerable web browser, and has even discontinued the brand name to distance themselves from its notoriety.
Safari
Safari is the default web browser in Apple's Mac OS X. It is based on Apple's Webkit layout engine, a KHTML fork. Compared to Chromium and Firefox, Safari has a slow development cycle and is lacking
in features.
Obscure hipster browsers
Gecko
- K-Meleon is a free and open-source
Firefox-like browser for Windows. It is old and unmaintained, but potentially useful if running older Windows operating systems.
- Seamonkey is a continuation of the
Mozilla suite. Unlike most modern web browsers, it is an Internet
suite, complete with bundled programs for email, IRC, and web design. It
is compatible with most Firefox add-ons.
WebKit
- Midori is a lightweight web browser with a
GTK+ interface. It is a component of the XFCE Goodies package.
- rekonq is a lightweight web browser with a Qt
interface. It is a core component of the K desktop environment.
- Otter Browser is a project that aims to
recreate and improve upon the features of classic Opera using the Qt5 toolkit. It is in development at the time of writing, and is thus unsuited for general use.
- Vivaldi is made by the developers of classic
Opera, who were apparently as frustrated with its change in direction
as /g/ and /tech/, and attempts to reinvent it. It is still in early development at the time of writing.
Dwb, Uzbl and QuteBrowser are all minimalistic browsers with a keyboard-driven, Vim-inspired interface. Luakit is deprecated and most are based on archaic versions of WebKit.
- Surf is a browser developed according to
the Suckless philosophy, which means it's effectively a WebKit frontend.
KHTML
- Konqueror is a Web browser and file
manager that was once a core component of the K desktop environment. Webkit and Blink are both descendants of its KHTML layout engine.
Terminal
- Links is a text-based browser that can
display images.
- w3m is another text-based browser that
can display images.
- ELinks is a text-based based web browser that
runs from the terminal.
- Lynx is the oldest web browser still under
active development.
Common Plug-Ins
Flash Player] is required to play the flash video incorporated into many
modern Web pages. It is infamous for being bloated, slow, and
exploitable. While it is being phased out in favour of HTML 5 video, Flash is unfortunately still required in many cases. Flash should not be
used on GNU/Linux systems, due to the fact that it is no longer being
updated for that platform.
- Shumway is an HTML5 technology
experiment that explores building a faithful and efficient renderer for the SWF file format without native code assistance.
required to play Silverlight content. Silverlight was essentially Microsoft's answer to Flash, but it failed to gain any significant market share. Like Flash, it is being phased out in favour of HTML 5. Unlike Flash, it is not common enough to justify its use.
- [https://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp The Java and Java
Deployment Toolkit Plug-Ins] are installed with the [http://wiki.installgentoo.com/index.php?title=Questionable_software#Java_Runtime_Environment
Java Runtime Environment]. While the Runtime Environment itself is
often necessary for the use of desktop Java software, these plug-ins are
extremely vulnerable and rarely used. They should be disabled in all
cases.
Recommended User Scripts
4chanX
- Appchan X is Zixaphir's fork
of 4chan X. It combines the features of 4chan X with the rice of the Appchan and OneeChan style scripts.
- loadletter's 4chan X is a
maintained version of MayhemYDG's v2. It lacks the controversial changes
made by MayhemYDG in v3. It is a shorter, more portable script, and the only maintained fork that supports Opera 12.
- ccd0's 4chan X is the continuation
of Spittie's/Seaweed's 4chan X.
[https://github.com/aeosynth/4chan-x Aeosynth's
4Chan-X] was the original version of 4chan X.
[https://github.com/MayhemYDG/4chan-x MayhemYDG's
4Chan-X] was the official [citation needed] continuation
of Aeosynth's popular 4chan X script. It may still work for you until
moot changes the site. The Chrome version is in the store [https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/4chan-x/cellaaeoekimmemgdheibaibbaoeefbl
here]. Mayhem no longer distributes the Firefox version of his script,
so here is a
script compiled from the latest source code on Github.
[https://github.com/ihavenoface/4chan-x ihavenoface's 4chan
X] added features to MayhemYDG's 4Chan X. Not officially
abandoned yet, but not updated since September 6. Note that the last released version (v3.13.15) contains security flaws that allow scripts from 4chan or the archives to read data from any website; however, it does not appear to be able to read data protected by a session cookie. The problem has been fixed, but a fixed version has yet to be released. Anyone concerned about the issue is advised to compile the script from themselves from the source code on Github.
[https://github.com/seaweedchan/4chan-x Seaweedchan's 4chan
X] was a popular fork of 4chan X. Developed in
collaboration with Zixaphir, it offered several controversial features over Mayhem's fork. Additionally, several potentially obnoxious features
were made optional, such as the fixed header and the clearing and
redownloading (via JSON) of the thread index.
[https://github.com/Spittie/4chan-x Spittie's 4chan
X] was a fork of Seaweed's 4chan X after it was abandoned.
Other
prevents various anti-adblock methods from being effective. For best results, it must be used in conjunction with its set of Adblock Plus filters.
- OneeChan is a script for
customizing the look of 4chan. Unlike Appchan X, it packaged no 4chan X features. Originally by Seaweedchan, its maintenance was continued by Spittie and now Nebukazar.
changes plain-text links on 4chan into hyper-links. It is redundant if either 4chan X or the official extension are used.
- YouTube Center seamlessly
integrates many features like video downloading directly into YouTube.
- ViewTube forces HTML5 to be
preferred over flash on a variety of popular video sites.
- ViewTubePlus is like ViewTube,
but for pornographic sites.
