Alternative to iBrowse on OS3.2?

[Calab]

Hey all!

I'm looking to get the networking working on my PiStorm A500. I've set up a new SD card using the PiStorm software and instructions and need to make the machine useful now.

iBrowse looks like a great piece of software, but at $60 CAD, it's too much for me to afford. I've seen AWeb, but it's pretty old and tends to break the newer OS. Finally, I found NetSurf, but it appears to only be for OS4, which I don't have (Also, their documentation links are broken). Are there any other alternatives?

I don't mind paying a bit for software, but I have a dozen different retro machines. At $60 a pop, the value of the software would be more than the value of the hardware!

[utri007]

There is a several versions of Netsurf for a 68k Amiga.

Official is here https://ci.netsurf-browser.org/builds/amigaos3/

It is badly broken, bitmap fonts code is broken, menus has a problems, etc. it has also lost it's speed after 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZueeEUIazNM

[Boing-ball]

Hey all!

I'm looking to get the networking working on my PiStorm A500. I've set up a new SD card using the PiStorm software and instructions and need to make the machine useful now.

iBrowse looks like a great piece of software, but at $60 CAD, it's too much for me to afford. I've seen AWeb, but it's pretty old and tends to break the newer OS. Finally, I found NetSurf, but it appears to only be for OS4, which I don't have (Also, their documentation links are broken). Are there any other alternatives?

I don't mind paying a bit for software, but I have a dozen different retro machines. At $60 a pop, the value of the software would be more than the value of the hardware!

If it helps. You only pay the one $60 which gives you a key file that can be used on all your systems.

There is a Netsurf for 68k systems which is in Beta phase. It’s a CSS based browser. But it’s very temperamental.

[krize]

Just try the demo and see if it is worth it for you

[chris]

There is a several versions of Netsurf for a 68k Amiga.

Official is here https://ci.netsurf-browser.org/builds/amigaos3/

It is badly broken, bitmap fonts code is broken, menus has a problems, etc. it has also lost it's speed after 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZueeEUIazNM

Use this version, SSL actually works on it: https://www.cy2.uk/netsurf.lha https://aminet.net/package/comm/www/netsurf_os3

Whether it works reliably is another matter. It's pretty stable on my MiSTer, provided the latest AmiSSL is installed. Others have reported problems.

[StormLord]

Use this version, SSL actually works on it: https://www.cy2.uk/netsurf.lha

Whether it works reliably is another matter. It's pretty stable on my MiSTer, provided the latest AmiSSL is installed. Others have reported problems.

Actually this version is only for OS4 not for 68k

[chris]

Oh yes, sorry, the one on Aminet is the working version for OS3: https://aminet.net/package/comm/www/netsurf_os3

[StormLord]

Unfortunately this version is broken on AOS3 the picture/background rendering is completely broken.
Pity as its the first netsurf for AOS3 that has a proper menu with Preferences etc..
The only versions that are *almost* working onn AOS are 3.10 that is very slow and 3.9. both are crashing demons thought. It is very difficult to browse more than 3-4 pages without stop responding with my PiStorm32 with Pi3A+
From the other hand its the only browser on AOS3 that support CSS, ibrowse 3 is a polished amiga browser but lucking CSS makes the price for me not worthy. otherwise I would bought it in a heartbeat.

[Boing-ball]

It’s just a shame that there isn’t more choice of Web Browser for the Amiga at the moment. Don’t get me wrong, Ibrowse works great. But it ain’t no CSS browser yet.

[chris]

Unfortunately this version is broken on AOS3 the picture/background rendering is completely broken.
Pity as its the first netsurf for AOS3 that has a proper menu with Preferences etc..
The only versions that are *almost* working onn AOS are 3.10 that is very slow and 3.9. both are crashing demons thought. It is very difficult to browse more than 3-4 pages without stop responding with my PiStorm32 with Pi3A+
From the other hand its the only browser on AOS3 that support CSS, ibrowse 3 is a polished amiga browser but lucking CSS makes the price for me not worthy. otherwise I would bought it in a heartbeat.

I know it's unhelpful but it "works here". Images are generally broken on 8-bit screen modes, but still useable.

It's still labelled as a beta for a reason!

If you can track down the problems you are having then patches will be welcome. However I'm not seeing most of the issues here that others are - which makes it difficult to debug.

[StormLord]

I know it's unhelpful but it "works here". Images are generally broken on 8-bit screen modes, but still useable.

It's still labelled as a beta for a reason!

If you can track down the problems you are having then patches will be welcome. However I'm not seeing most of the issues here that others are - which makes it difficult to debug.

I'm using stock caffeine OS with Pistorm32, screen mode is 1024x768 32bit via videocore RTG. Is there a page where I can send a bug report? I'm back on the amiga after a decade and I have excitement to help wherever I can.

[chris]

I'm using stock caffeine OS with Pistorm32, screen mode is 1024x768 32bit via videocore RTG. Is there a page where I can send a bug report? I'm back on the amiga after a decade and I have excitement to help wherever I can.

Here is the correct place: https://bugs.netsurf-browser.org

Any crash logs and the output from "netsurf -v" will be helpful.

What do you mean by "stock caffeine OS"?

[Boing-ball]

Here is the correct place: https://bugs.netsurf-browser.org

Any crash logs and the output from "netsurf -v" will be helpful.

What do you mean by "stock caffeine OS"?

It’s like CoffinOS found on the Vampire Cards but it’s for the PiStorm. It will be a bespoke build of Amiga OS 3.9. With a load of extras. So nothing vanilla about it.

[chris]

It’s like CoffinOS found on the Vampire Cards but it’s for the PiStorm. It will be a bespoke build of Amiga OS 3.9. With a load of extras. So nothing vanilla about it.

Ah, in that case I can say "not supported", you're on your own.

AmigaOS 3.9 should work.  AmigaOS 3.2.2.1 should work.  But either of those with a ton of extra patches and hacks I wouldn't expect to work correctly.  Even the plain versions of 3.9 and 3.2 are temperamental.  I want to rebuild it with the 3.2 NDK and (if necessary) ditch 3.9, to see if that makes it more stable - the classes can then work more or less exactly as they do in OS4 so it should help.  But the NDK won't work properly in my build environment currently.

[Boing-ball]

Ah, in that case I can say "not supported", you're on your own.

AmigaOS 3.9 should work.  AmigaOS 3.2.2.1 should work.  But either of those with a ton of extra patches and hacks I wouldn't expect to work correctly.  Even the plain versions of 3.9 and 3.2 are temperamental.  I want to rebuild it with the 3.2 NDK and (if necessary) ditch 3.9, to see if that makes it more stable - the classes can then work more or less exactly as they do in OS4 so it should help.  But the NDK won't work properly in my build environment currently.

CaffieneOS as far as I understand it is now no longer available due to the author (Cpt LeChuck), being told that this infringed on Amikits workbench version. Technically you can just install any AmigaOS on a PiStorm but you are dependent on some extra tools to get it working.
I’m currently running a AmigaOS3.9 with 3.2.2.1 update with a Mediator setup and PiStorm with a Pi4B. RTG is not via Pi but via a Voodoo3 pci card.