Second Beta Release of Timberwolf

[Fab]

What spirantho meant was HTML5 video support, via the WebM codec. MOS' OWB and Timberwolf support WebM, the OS4's port of MOS' OWB (MUI OWB) does not.

Just for the completeness:

Odyssey Web Browser supports HTML5 video and audio, and not only WebM (which is still not very widely used except on YouTube) but also H264, Ogg/Theora and FLV (and several audio codecs as well such as mpeg, aac and so on). FireFox given its choices will never support H264, which means it won't be able to view a good amount of HTML5 video websites such as DailyMotion or Vimeo and many others.

It currently scores 345 + 15 bonus points at html5test.com, by the way.

It also supports NPAPI plugins, but it wasn't adapted (yet?) on the OS4/AROS ports. Through this plugin system, Flash is supported with swfdec plugin (gnash would also be a possibility, but it's not better, anyway).

Finally, add-ons such as the ones you can find on userscripts.org are also supported by OWB (some needs some tweaking). These ones need the GreaseMonkey addon to work on Firefox.

[Piru]

Indeed Odyssey gets nice full score for HTML5 video and audio tags:



Firefox 11.0 gets only 21 (+4 bonus points) for video and 20 (+3 bonus points) for audio.

[Iggy]

Thank you both fab & piru,
So we need foreign software, why?

[cha05e90]

@Fab and Piru

Thank you very much for your in deep insights into Odyssey.

And now back on topic: Nice to see some more frequent beta releases, looking forward to the next one...

[AmigaNG]

Just for the completeness:
Odyssey Web Browser
It currently scores 345 + 15 bonus points at html5test.com, by the way.

Intresting just tested that site on OS4
Timberwolf 4 Beta 2 scored 281 plus 9 bonus point
OWB-MUI scored 191

Anyway, I'm more than pleased with the update, the previous problems I had with it running Google Doc all seem to be fixed, wich is really neat. Keep up the good works guys.

[mpiva]

I hate to mention this, and I know I will probably get flamed for it, but am I the only OS4.1.5 user that has any concern that the amount of time coding Timberwolf is taking coding time away from finishing drivers for the SAM460ex and AmigaOne X1000, plus other parts of OS4.1.x?

Don't forget, part of the reason for porting Firefox was to find any deficiencies in OS4 that would prevent porting such a complex program over to it. In their porting efforts, they find areas where the OS needs to be improved or new functionality that need to be added and then they proceed to address those issues. There was a reason why the Timberwolf Beta REQUIRED Update 4. So don't fret; I'm sure the time they spend coding Timberwolf does directly benefit Os4.1.x.

[klx300r]

You do understand that *everything* is being developed in *everyone's* spare time, don't you?

it pains me to say this but you actually have a point;)

[klx300r]

@ Piru

I get:
- 281 with 9 bonus points with TimberWolf Beta2
- 191 with 0 bonus points with mui-owb

[Fab]

@ Piru

I get:
- 281 with 9 bonus points with TimberWolf Beta2
- 191 with 0 bonus points with mui-owb

But this is with OWB 1.9 that uses an almost two years old webkit, and with disabled HTML5 features (including HTML5 media but also other things).

The snapshot was about current Odyssey Web Browser on MorphOS.

End of OT.

[Iggy]

I'll apologize ahead of time for quoting a private e-mail AmigaDave and I exchanged earlier without checking with him first.

"I am afraid that the Frieden's are spending too much time working on  
Timberwolf, instead of working on drivers for the SAM460ex, or X1000.  
I am sure that Timberwolf is important to them, as it might spur more  
hardware purchases, but many people are saying that Timberwolf is  
unusable on any SAM systems and it may never be usable on a SAM."

Now that's the opinion of an OS4 user and advocate who has spent a fair amount of money on an X1000.
Again, sorry David.
But honestly guys, don't the Frieden's have enough work to do without this project?
Where are all the drivers for the on board hardware included in those two systems David mentioned?

This is not a flame.
I've considered an OS4 hardware purchase recently, but the priorities of the developers of my current OS seem much more sensible.
You don't release it till its ready.

[klx300r]

But this is with OWB 1.9 that uses an almost two years old webkit, and with disabled HTML5 features (including HTML5 media but also other things).

The snapshot was about current Odyssey Web Browser on MorphOS.

End of OT.

thanks for the explanation Fab so hopefully we get an updated WebKit for mui-owb soon

[runequester]

for comparison purposes, Chromium gets 369 (+13)

Rekonq gets 310 (+14)

Old Konqueror gets a measly 93 (+6)


...and Ibrowse 2.4 wouldn't even load the page

[takemehomegrandma]

"I am afraid that the Frieden's are spending too much time working on  
Timberwolf, instead of working on drivers for the SAM460ex, or X1000.  
I am sure that Timberwolf is important to them

Of course, there is a €6.000+ bounty ear-marked for them personally to cash in, for some relatively easy work (in the approach they have chosen).

but many people are saying that Timberwolf is  
unusable on any SAM systems and it may never be usable on a SAM."

Firefox *is bloated*, there is a considerable and very much noticeable speed difference between Firefox and Chrome even on my core i7 (not saying it's unusable on a modern PC, far from it, just that there is a noticeable difference), and Sam is *very* weak HW, especially the 440 that even lacks a L2 cache...

[fishy_fiz]

I dont want to start any flames, but Id be curious to see how AROS Odysee scores in that test. Id hazzard a guess it'd be somewhere between MOS version and OS4 OWB-MUI?
Again, not trying to instigate any sort of flame wars, personally Ive gone back to just my a1200 and amithlon, so it's inconsequential to me, but I am curious.

As for the topic, Im not a Firefox fan, nor am I an OS4 user, but congrats anyway. No harm in having a few options

[takemehomegrandma]

I dont want to start any flames, but Id be curious to see how AROS Odysee scores in that test. Id hazzard a guess it'd be somewhere between MOS version and OS4 OWB-MUI?

I don't know whether some stuff aren't ported/supported on AROS, but at least Odyssey on AROS is of version 1.16, which should mean WebKit r103170 (December 2011)...

[spirantho]

@Iggy

One of the major weaknesses in AmigaOS 4 is that we didn't have an HTML5 capable browser (Yes, we know MOS has one, but we didn't). While Fab's Odyssey is an excellent program, and much kudos to him for doing such a good job, he only works on MOS. The AmigaOS version has fallen too far behind and it doesn't seem to be being updated.

By porting TW, as has been mentioned earlier, the Friedens are able to fix a hole in the OS4 software library (an HTML5 browser) while also finding missing elements in the AOS API, which they can correct to make porting easier.

So I think they did a really good thing with TW - they're working on getting HTML5 to OS4, and it's building the OS4 API at the same time.