Arctic Fox web browser for 10.6 (32 & 64-bit)

[xeno74]

Finished: arcticfox-27.9.16-ubuntu10.04-powerpc.tar.bz2

 

[UUUnicorn]

Please, I apologise in advance if I am posting these in the wrong thread. Feel free to move it where appropriate, please. Thank you very much.

One thing that I found does not work:
Trying to search in online Outlook mail for a specific email. All I get is an icon of a magnifying glass over two envelopes, under which it says "Searching..." This function does work in TenSixFox for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard for late 2008 Core2Duo Aluminum Unibody Macbook.

 

[snowy moon]

AF 27.9.16-64bit works fine and flawless here on SL10.6.5!

A big Thank You to @wicknix and all involved!!

… Anyway, i rebuilt and uploaded again. Give it a whirl and let me know if it works. Might have just been a bad upload/download. Thanks.

Wow, that change log is huge – regarding above mentioned "bad upload/download", what about having checksums listed beside the download links?

I was irritated at first, that file sizes for the app bundles for AF 27.9.15-64bit and AF 27.9.16-64bit were of exactly the same size, though with different checksums…

 

[oldairman]

Sorry, i could have been more clear where AF's profile is. In Linux AF's profile resides in ~/.org.wicknix/arctic fox/, not ~/.mozilla

@RobJos : The changlog for this release is nothing but mozilla based bug fixes and a few security updates. It's not supposed to make sense. Just know that they are good things. Like healthy treats for your browser.

Cheers

Many Thanks...

- can import bookmarks.json to Library, similarly bookmarks.html
- from Arctic Fox Start Page clicking on Bookmarks opens Library displaying the full imported content of bookmarks.json... Bookmarks Toolbar... Bookmarks Menu... Unsorted Bookmarks
- clicking on Bookmarks in Menu Bar displays... Organize Bookmarks... Bookmark This Page... Subscribe to This Page... Bookmarks Toolbar... Recently Bookmarked... Recent Tags... Unsorted Bookmarks
- clicking on Organize Bookmarks opens Library
- clicking on Bookmarks Toolbar displays only single links, folders containing multiple links are not displayed and folders cannot be created in Bookmarks Toolbar... In Library all folders and links are displayed and folders can be created
- from Arctic Fox Start Page clicking on Bookmark This Page, you can save to Bookmarks Toolbar, but saving to Bookmarks Menu or Unsorted Bookmarks will only appear in Library, not in Bookmarks on the Menu Bar
- Recently Bookmarked displays what was bookmarked by Bookmark This Page
- control b toggles the Bookmarks Menu in Sidebar and what is displayed in Sidebar should be displayed when Bookmarks is selected from the Menu Bar

Is there a solution?

 

[UUUnicorn]

Please, which addons/extensions do you particularly recommend? I did already install AdBlock Latitude and Greasemonkey with the ViewTube script installed.

Thank you very much!

 

[z970]

Please, which addons/extensions do you particularly recommend? I did already install AdBlock Latitude and Greasemonkey with the ViewTube script installed.

Thank you very much!

I find uMatrix to be the best all-in-one ad blocker, because it allows finer control than AB Latitude, or Origin. It's also more lightweight.

Decentraleyes is very good. In their words: "Protects you against tracking through "free", centralized, content delivery. It prevents a lot of requests from reaching networks like Google Hosted Libraries, and serves local files to keep sites from breaking. Complements regular content blockers." In any case, I've noticed it to make a positive speed improvement when browsing.

eyoungren's TenFourFox tweaks, which can be found at the top of the PowerPC Forum page, are extremely helpful for any Mozilla-based browser, which also goes for Arctic Fox. The performance improvement gained by those tweaks always make a great difference in browsing the modern web on 15+ year old machines.

 

[xeno74]

Compiling Arctic Fox 27.9.16 64-bit on Fedora 27 Server PPC64:

 

[xeno74]

Please post some photos of your old PowerMac with a running Arctic Fox 27.9.16 on an old Ubuntu or Debian PPC32 distribution.

Download Arctic Fox 27.9.16 for older Linux PPC distributions like Ubuntu 10.04 or higher:

arcticfox-27.9.16-ubuntu10.04-powerpc.tar.bz2

For Ubuntu 10.04 - 12.04: You need to install the GCC 4.8 and the libatomic1 via the repository 'ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test'.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test

sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install gcc-4.8 g++-4.8

Sometimes you need only the libatomic1 package.

Download: libatomic-ubuntu12.04-powerpc.tar.bz2

Please copy the file 'libatomic.so.1' to '/usr/lib/powerpc-linux-gnu/' with the following command:

sudo cp libatomic.so.1 /usr/lib/powerpc-linux-gnu/

Screenshots of the new Arctic Fox 27.9.16 on the Ubuntu 10.04 PowerPC live DVD and on the Lubuntu 12.04 PowerPC live DVD (PowerMac G3):

 

[xeno74]

Hi All,

I released Arctic Fox 27.9.16 64-bit for openSUSE Tumbleweed PPC64 and for Fedora PPC64 today.

Download: arcticfox-27.9.16.linux-powerpc64.tar.bz2

Arctic Fox 27.9.16 64-bit on openSUSE Tumbleweed PPC64:



Cheers,
Christian

 

[RobJos]

Back to Form History Control.

While fine-tuning the Form History Control add-on (…) it had been saving the contents of a mail from a specific webmail interface that I always open in a Private Tab/Window. (…) To me this sort of… leak? doesn't seem right at all (…).

(…) You'd have to ask its creator why it was doing that. Maybe you found a bug.

I've been in touch with the developer, Stephan Mahieu, very friendly and helpful even if his addon is now many versions ahead. He suggested adjusting a couple of settings in the prefs, but that didn't help. So, here's his conclusion (with his permission):

“ (…) If this option is not checked and multiline editor fields are saved anyway in Private browsing mode, it is likely caused by the fact that the check by my plugin if the browser is in Private browsing mode is incompatible with Arctic Fox. What you can do anyway [… Modify other setting …]”

“ (…) note that regular textfields are saved by the browser itself, that is not done by my plugin, it is standard browser functionality. So if it is these kind of fields are saved in Private browsing mode it is very likely that Arctic Fox itself is not respecting the Private browsing mode. I do not think there is an easy solution if that is the case. (…)”

Soon after I found that FHC's behaviour in this regard was actually quite erratic — in Private Tabs at least. But, most important, I also found that forms filled in a Private Window instead of a Private Tab do not get memorised at all. There's a big red X in the icon to confirm that. The developer hasn't replied anymore, but at this point I guess that this is an acceptable workaround.

 

[madbiker31]

I find uMatrix to be the best all-in-one ad blocker, because it allows finer control than AB Latitude, or Origin. It's also more lightweight.

I think you mean ηMatrix.

This add-on seems to be interesting, but for a geek I guess. Its installation block all scripts, so the sites dosen't load correctly. I had to disable for every site. Without manual or tutorial it's unexploitable... Back to ublock origin.

Clicking on the icon provide an exhausted list off the scripts includede in the page code with columns, what to with that ?

 

[RobJos]

Please, which addons/extensions do you particularly recommend? I did already install AdBlock Latitude and Greasemonkey with the ViewTube script installed.

Here's what I've found best for my use:



as well as:



Hope it's of some use.

Robert

P.S. Any critical comments are welcome, this is just one month or so of painstaking setups.

 

[WinterClaws]

Been awhile since I posted, but I've been (silently) continuing to follow the development of this browser and I continue to offer my kudos and thanks...it's coming along great I think.

One suggestion if I may. Although I can't help but wonder if I just haven't been silly and missed a really simple option somewhere (but I've pored over every setting/option I could find in the app). If possible, in some future version please consider adding a "confirm to exit" option in the app. I've accidentally closed the entire app a few times now, and the lack of confirmation has been a pain (I tend to have a large number of browser tabs/windows open at once).

That aside, thanks again as always for this browser!

 

[z970]

I think you mean ηMatrix.

This add-on seems to be interesting, but for a geek I guess. Its installation block all scripts, so the sites dosen't load correctly. I had to disable for every site. Without manual or tutorial it's unexploitable... Back to ublock origin.

Clicking on the icon provide an exhausted list off the scripts includede in the page code with columns, what to with that ?

nMatrix? No, I mean uMatrix.

No, it's interesting for anyone who wants to put in slightly more effort in order to take advantage of their resources to the fullest.

There are eight blocks on the top, one for controlling scripts, XHR, frames, among others. If you want it to allow the first party website to transmit scripts, you just click the upper-half of the 'scripts' block, which will turn green, which means all first-party scripts will be accepted. If you don't want it to transmit any scripts, you click the lower-half, which will turn red, indicating all scripts will be blocked. The same principle applies for everything else featured in that top horizontal row.

This addon relies on that basic 'upper/lower-half' functionality, on the basis of blacklisting and whitelisting certain protocols. If you understand that the green upper-half of each block will whitelist everything received under said block (such as scripts), and the red lower-half of each block will likewise blacklist everything being received under said block from the first-party website (like scripts), you can figure the whole thing out, and it becomes extensively useful in preventing tracking, unwanted cookies, advertising, and other crap that bogs down your system. uBlock Origin does not do this.

You're really better off experimenting with how each block works and how that affects each website. For me, all I have to do to watch a YouTube video is click the green upper-half of the top XHR block, and it will start playing. Minus the advertisements, which means a better experience.

 

[wicknix]

@oldairman : No solution that i'm aware of. It seems this was a lingering issue with the pre-australis UI. It works properly for some, and doesn't work for others, and didn't get fixed until FF switched to the ugly less customizable australis interface.
It works properly for me however. See attached.

@xeno74 : Thanks for the alternate builds.

@WinterClaws : Easy fix. In about:config change "browser.showQuitWarning" from false to true.

@z970mp : nMatrix is a PM specific fork of uMatrix. Just an FYI.

Cheers

 

[z970]

nMatrix is a PM specific fork of uMatrix. Just an FYI.

Whooaa...

Had no idea. Thanks wick.

@madbiker31 I guess I do mean nMatrix. Again, did not know.

On with the thread.

 

[xeno74]

For Linux:

If Arctic Fox has another font in the menus and dialogue boxes than the desktop environment, then you have to create the file .fonts.conf in the home directory.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
<fontconfig>
<match target="font" >
  <edit mode="assign" name="rgba" >
   <const>rgb</const>
  </edit>
</match>
<match target="font" >
  <edit mode="assign" name="hinting" >
   <bool>true</bool>
  </edit>
</match>
<match target="font" >
  <edit mode="assign" name="hintstyle" >
   <const>hintfull</const>
  </edit>
</match>
<match target="font" >
  <edit mode="assign" name="antialias" >
   <bool>true</bool>
  </edit>
</match>
</fontconfig>

If this file exist, then Arctic Fox uses the font configuration from the desktop environment.

 

[RobJos]

[Removed after seeing wicknix's reply]

 

[madbiker31]

@madbiker31 I guess I do mean nMatrix. Again, did not know.

On with the thread.

@z970mp Thanks a lot for your precisions. I'm still interested to learn how to manage that add-on. I need some time to apply your advice

ηMatrix, i.e. "nu"matrix, so the n and the u, from a no geek and no greek surfer

 

[RobJos]

z970mp Thanks a lot for your precisions. I'm still interested to learn how to manage that add-on.

Please keep us posted, madbiker31. z970mp's explanations seemed a bit complex to me, and to be honest I'm tired of complexity. But you seem to share my longing for simplicity, so if you find out that it's a better alternative to uBlock Origin & Adblock Latitude, I'd really like to hear about it.

 

[z970]

z970mp's explanations seemed a bit complex to me, and to be honest I'm tired of complexity.

We're using a granular adblocker to put less strain on 15+ year old machines. Everyone needs to do their best, whether it be refining or deciphering.

Everything you see on that menu is a block representing something. Click the green upper-half of that block to whitelist it. Click the red lower-half of that block to blacklist it. Usually, all it takes to unbreak a website is whitelisting the top Scripts block, or the top XHR block, or the top Frame block, which whitelists everything under that block.

Typically, you would do this on the top row, to block all first-party scripts, or whitelist all first-party scripts (scripts originating directly from the website). Third-party scripts, which are scripts originating from something other than your website, meaning advertisements, are automatically blocked by default.

Experiment so you can whitelist as little blocks as possible and still get a functional website. That will put the least amount of work on your system, which means faster browsing.*

*As far as TenFourFox and Arctic Fox go. WebKit-based browsers, on the other hand, will usually eclipse them in speed.* Links2 will run circles around both.

*Surprisingly enough, a tweaked TenFourFox with uMatrix is snappier than Leopard-Webkit on my DLSD.

 

[xeno74]

Screenshot of Arctic Fox 27.9.16 on the Ubuntu 12.04.5 PowerPC Live DVD:

 

[RobJos]

We're using a granular adblocker to put less strain on 15+ year old machines. Everyone needs to do their best, whether it be refining or deciphering.

Everything you see on that menu is a block representing something. Click the green upper-half of that block to whitelist it. Click the red lower-half of that block to blacklist it. Usually, all it takes to unbreak a website is whitelisting the top Scripts block, or the top XHR block, or the top Frame block, which whitelists everything under that block.

Typically, you would do this on the top row, to block all first-party scripts, or whitelist all first-party scripts (scripts originating directly from the website). Third-party scripts, which are scripts originating from something other than your website, meaning advertisements, are automatically blocked by default.

Experiment so you can whitelist as little blocks as possible and still get a functional website. That will put the least amount of work on your system, which means faster browsing.

At the repository of ηMatrix I read that

"After installation, ηMatrix will break the majority of the websites you visit.
To "unbreak" a site, you need to operate on the per-site popup matrix that ηMatrix makes available from its toolbar button. You just need to click on each cell to enable (green) or disable (red) a particular feature."

Apart from the dozens of sites I have to access frequently, I also access dozens of new sites daily. Under those conditions it seems a bit unrealistic to go through all of the motions you describe here for every single site.

Maybe this addon is meant for people with other needs? My machine is a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7, definitely not a 15+ year old granny. Since getting rid of Firefox, thanks to wicknix-our-saviour browsing speed is no longer an issue, and the only CPU-related slowdown I can think of is when Intego kicks in with a multi-Gb backup while a dozen or so applications are all open at the same time.

 

[z970]

Maybe this addon is meant for people with other needs? My machine is a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7

...Yeah, stick with uBlock Origin.

 

[RobJos]

@wicknix: FYI, about sites not working in AF: two more besides playback on Deezer mentioned earlier, I get a blank page on one of my credit cards provider's login page and, strangely enough, on the New York Times. This last one I can easily live without, but the former is a bit of a bummer (it still opens in Fx, but now it's giving an error after login — awaiting reply from customer service, which might fix everything.) Still: really impressive work, only three sites in two months!