Amiga.org - Ibrowse and Aweb support sucks

[Karlos]

Just like to jump in here...

Amiga.org is primarily a classic amiga site...the fact that it displays like sh*t on classic amigas is just plain WRONG.  Percentages, technologies, everything else aside, this site should be visible on the most popular classic browser, and that is IBrowse.

There are a few problems with your statement. You can't throw "percentages" aside and then talk about "most popular" classic browser. I'd be willing to wager the vast majority of visitors to the site before moving to vBulletin were not using IBrowse.

In case you didn't read it, the site was updated to use a new forum engine because there was no other realistic alternative.

Here's a suggestion. I was thinking about doing this myself but I feel lacking in urgency since the only amiga browser I use here is OWB. So, why not learn PHP and write a proxy script that parses whatever page you requested, reformats it to remove all the CSS related guff, converting it (where necessary) to some tables based view and redirect all amiga.org referencing links to pass back through the proxy. Once it's working satisfactorily, ask the new owners nicely if they can make it run on a sub domain. The only tricky bits I can see is session management and the fact it would increase server load when it's used. However that shouldn't be a problem since a tiny percentage of users would actually use it.

[Karlos]

I wonder what kind of "software machine" / "method" is used behind http://www.amigaworld.net and http://www.amigans.net making them viewable to IBrowse....

Exactly the same thing that used to be behind here before the server upgrade (ie XOOPS).

However, this site was significantly older than either of the other two and locked into an obsolete version of XOOPS that couldn't be readily upgraded. When the hosting company set a deadline to upgrade to PHP5, that was a death warrant to the version of XOOPS that was in use. There are newer versions of XOOPS, but they are no more IBrowse friendly than vBulletin is.

Comparing old browser compatibility on this site to amigaworld.net is pointless. They are running an IBrowse friendly version of XOOPS because they are still in a position to.

[Karlos]

So if we now want to setup a forum friendly for IBrowse should we use vBulletin???

Nope, you should find an older version of xoops, or write your own. Present versions of vB/XOOPS tend to be aimed at browsers that support things that have been considered standard over the last decade.

[Karlos]

OWB has been available for AROS for ages has it not?

Surely if it compiles on an OS3.1 clone it will compile on the actual OS3.1?

Perhaps it has dependencies on AROS features not available on 3.1?

In any event, it might prove too slow for any real m68k CPU.

[Karlos]

Here's a suggestion. I was thinking about doing this myself but I feel lacking in urgency since the only amiga browser I use here is OWB. So, why not learn PHP and write a proxy script that parses whatever page you requested, reformats it to remove all the CSS related guff, converting it (where necessary) to some tables based view and redirect all amiga.org referencing links to pass back through the proxy. Once it's working satisfactorily, ask the new owners nicely if they can make it run on a sub domain. The only tricky bits I can see is session management and the fact it would increase server load when it's used. However that shouldn't be a problem since a tiny percentage of users would actually use it.

Talk about following your own advice ;-)

[Karlos]

@nicholas

Nope, though I'd be happy to put it on a subdomain here if the owners agree.

Still needs a fair bit of work though, but you can log in and post. Who would have thought how much work is involved in degrading perfectly good CSS / XHTML into that chicken soup that is HTML4? You know, I actually forgot all about the tag :lol:

[Karlos]

Wich Browser its  thats pics?

IBrowse 2.4 as included with OS4.1 Update 1 (the hint is in the window title )

[Karlos]

Wow that's amazing Karlos.  :eek:

It's not ready yet but it's making progress.