NetSurf 2.8 (OS4 web browser) released

[chris]

NetSurf 2.8 adds support for frames and iframes on all platforms, MIME type sniffing, and a new image cache. Image decoding can now be deferred until images are required for more optimal resource use and faster page load times. The release also incorporates many other new features, optimisations, improvements and bug fixes. Full details in the change log. We recommend all users upgrade.

Download from http://www.netsurf-browser.org or via http://www.unsatisfactorysoftware.co.uk/netsurf/

Release notes for this AmigaOS 4 build:

* DataTypes content handler now used for JPEG and PNG images on the 4.0 (static) build.
* Low-memory version of parserutils.library included in the archive, for people wishing to reduce memory requirements.
* MNG and WebP internal decoders no longer compiled in.  Please install appropriate datatypes for WebP and (limited) MNG support.
* The file Resource/mimetypes can be used to specify applications to run plug-in content (to use, right-click plug-in area and select "launch in external application"). It also links DataTypes, MIME types and DefIcons, so if something isn't working as expected it might be related to this file.
* Please note the new DPI setting in prefs.  Some people reported particulary small text on certain websites with the previous release.  Setting DPI correctly fixes this.  If you use a widescreen monitor you may need to set "option_widescreen:1" in Resources/Options.

[chris]

Really nice! Feals faster and Frames works great allthough scrollwheel doesn't seem to work with frames(?). Very nice and unexpected release :-) . Great work!

Thanks!  I'm not surprised the scrollwheel doesn't work with frames, the events don't get that far in the code.  I'll see if I can fix it.

[chris]

Great! One more thing that I notised during my Quick test is that some sites loads and scroll slower than usual. Those sites are http://www.tv.nu, http://www.cinemassacre.com and http://www.gamespot.com but at that site it just scrolls slow at the top of the page.

Try twirling the "cache native versions" option (on the rendering tab of prefs) to "all".

What would be needed to get you do 68k port also?

Time and motivation.  I'd much rather somebody else with the time and motivation - somebody who is actually going to use it - did it.

[chris]

2. Many 68k people doesn't actually know what kind of web browser Netsurf is, they think it is just like AWeb/Ibrowse = Outdated

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEcgKcXGC_o (NB: This is an old version, not 2.
Screenshots: http://www.netsurf-browser.org/about/screenshots/#amigaos (these are from 2.7 but visual differences are minor)

[chris]

Saw the other day, in the svn history one of the main devs did some os3 compatibility stuff (not recent but i just saw it) - surprising though.

Yes, John-Mark did some work over a year ago as part of a build chain test (and I suspect to encourage the development of a proper front-end for AmigaOS 3 - the framebuffer one is not intended to be a complete front-end and the core devs do not like it being used as such).  At the time he got it compiling mainly without errors; that's where my little list comes from on http://wiki.netsurf-browser.org/Todo/AmigaOS_frontend#OS3_Support

[chris]

68k port of Netsurf 2.7 is here: http://aminet.net/package/comm/www/NetSurf-m68k

Netsurf 2.8 has just been released.

I'd just like to make it very, very clear, so there is no doubt whatsoever:

The AmigaOS 68k version of NetSurf is an unofficial fork of the "framebuffer" frontend.  It is not endorsed or supported by the developers of NetSurf.  The NetSurf developers would like a proper frontend written for AmigaOS 3/68k.  NetSurf for Amiga 68k is not representative of NetSurf for AmigaOS 4.