Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Software Issues and Discussion => Topic started by: Tumbleweed on May 15, 2021, 06:42:19 PM
-
Hi folks,
Whats the best web browser for a 68k Amiga? I just installed a plipbox ethernet adapter in my now working A3000D with CSMKII, PicassoII and c196MB Ram.
Got it working with MiamiDX but looking at maybe using Roadshow as I've read it offers better transfer rates than Miami.
Browsers Ive tired so far:
1. iBrowse 2.5.2. Ok'ish. Doesn't support CSS but is reasonably fast.
2. AWeb very old. Reasonably quick. Doesn't support many websites.
3. Netsurf v3.10 (hae tried 3.7 and 3.9). Supports CSS but is slow / very slow.
Amissl 4.9 installed too but get safety warnings from NetSurf - Amiga.Org is throwing up invalid certificates and other warnings.
What's folks views?
Weed
-
You never get real speed without a network card.
Ibrowse is okeyish.
-
How does Plipbox compare to a zorro ethernet board? Alot slower? or comparable?
-
3. Netsurf v3.10 (hae tried 3.7 and 3.9). Supports CSS but is slow / very slow.
Amissl 4.9 installed too but get safety warnings from NetSurf - Amiga.Org is throwing up invalid certificates and other warnings.
The latest test build might work better than the one on Aminet - https://ci.netsurf-browser.org/builds/amigaos3/
-
How does Plipbox compare to a zorro ethernet board? Alot slower? or comparable?
This is tough subject. I'll try to keep it simple. All b values are in bytes.
Absolute theoretical maximum speed of the parallel port is 716kb per second on the Amiga. BUT, to do that, you have to shut down the whole operating system and just use the processor to monitor the port. And the port can only send or receive, it can't do both at the same time.
https://lallafa.de/blog/2015/09/amiga-parallel-port-how-fast-can-you-go/
Plipbox claims about 96KB per second max, but remember, only one way traffic. About 40kb a second is more realistic.
A zorrro 2 card has a theoretical maximum theoretical limit of 3.5 mbs transfer. You typically get less than 3. But a network speed of 10 megabits per second max is doable (about 1Mb per second in bytes). Not doable at all with a plipbox.
What you actually get depends how fast all the different software components are running. Bearing in mind that the processor is driving the os, the hardware transfers, the tcp-ip stack to cut it all up into packets, and the web browser, which includes things like ssl encryption.
It may well be possible to tweak the multitasking a little and set the priority of processes to get more CPU time. But it''s only going to work as fast as the slowest component can manage.
EDIT: Boils down to spoonfeeding a fast processor (040 up) from the parallel port. Web browsing max gets throttled. On a slower processor it doesn't really matter because they can't render the received data fast enough to make a difference really.
Like I said, simple version. :P
-
The latest test build might work better than the one on Aminet - https://ci.netsurf-browser.org/builds/amigaos3/
Is disk cache still broken?
-
The latest test build might work better than the one on Aminet - https://ci.netsurf-browser.org/builds/amigaos3/
Is disk cache still broken?
Seems so. I tested it on my A1200 (it works on that now, just about) and it complained about it.
-
Hi folks,
Whats the best web browser for a 68k Amiga? I just installed a plipbox ethernet adapter in my now working A3000D with CSMKII, PicassoII and c196MB Ram.
Got it working with MiamiDX but looking at maybe using Roadshow as I've read it offers better transfer rates than Miami.
Browsers Ive tired so far:
1. iBrowse 2.5.2. Ok'ish. Doesn't support CSS but is reasonably fast.
2. AWeb very old. Reasonably quick. Doesn't support many websites.
3. Netsurf v3.10 (hae tried 3.7 and 3.9). Supports CSS but is slow / very slow.
Amissl 4.9 installed too but get safety warnings from NetSurf - Amiga.Org is throwing up invalid certificates and other warnings.
What's folks views?
Weed
Do not waste time on a plipbox, you have a big box Amiga get either a Ariandne I or a X-Surf-100. They are the best performing and least problematic NIC's for the Amiga. The X-Surf works faster with faster CPU's and the Ariandne I is just a good overall performing NIC. The X-Surf 100 with a 80MHz 060 gives amazing results for speed. I ran speed tests years ago and I will have to look for them. The Ariandne I (Not II) will do the best overall with a more 'stockish' Amiga. If you use the X-Surf, use rapid road. For the Ariandne you can also use Miami with the MNI driver for the card or rapid road. The X-Surf 100 can conflict with some systems and you may have to dial it down with the z2 jumper.
I would use Ibrowse and not waste time with any other browser. It simple does the "best" out of all the options for 68k Amigas. Ibrowse really isn't terrible for surfing Amiga friendly sites and is very usable and surprisingly runs at a good speed with one of the NIC's.
If you really want to experience great browsing on an Amiga, pick up a cheap powermac and use MOS. The latest version of Wayfarer is really good. No other browser solution on any Amiga system is even close, and Wayfarer is based on all the modern stuff and is constantly being updated. The same author created Iris, the only real imap email solution on the Amiga as well. So depending on your objective you have some options.