Omniweb? Aurora?

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

Hey everyone,

Just a quick question about these two browsers for anyone who may know. Obviously there is a lot random information when it comes to whether or not a browser will continue being updated, and what not.

Anyway, I recently discovered Omniweb and found it to save my 800Mhz iBook G4's life, as poor Camino is no longer being updated, Safari is not too fast on it, and TenFourFox is the laggiest thing ever... I really like the browser so far, and at first I thought it was fully up-to-date, even though it was last updated in 2012, or so. Everything on YouTube works under Omniweb, which is a surprise, considering Google likes to update web standards every 5 minutes, even if they don't change the appearance of their product. However, with extra testing, I have noticed that VERY specific things do not work. For example, I am on TFF now because both Tiger Webkit and Omniweb are not able to log me in to my MR account. I was also on some other website with Omniweb, and certain click-able items weren't working; these buttons were essential to what I was trying to do. (set up an account)

My question is: Will Omniweb be updated soon? Do you know if they are going to drop their long-running Tiger (or PPC in general) support? Currently the newest one supports Mac OS 10.4.8 (Tiger)- Mac OS 10.9 (Mavericks?--as a PPC/older Intel user, I don't care at that point). I am hoping that this browser, for one, continues to be updated, but also stays in PPC support, especially Tiger support.

My last question: How is the Aurora project? I am going to try it out myself soon, but I never hear anything about it. Is it a good PPC browser or is it in beta/slow/bad, etc.? I am running out of options on the Macs I have that still run Tiger... and to think that Omniweb almost saved me. (although basic browsing is no issue on it... the MacRumors thing got me though)

 

[Imixmuan]

well

The Omni group have indicated that the version that is still available to download for PowerPC is the last one that will support it. The new "Mavericks" version has been in beta forever, and since Omniweb is a free product from a small software company I think its safe to say that is a dormant if not dead project.

Your 800mhz ibook will run Leopard with LeopardAssist, and it will be decent speed wise if you turn off some of the Leopard iCandy. Numerous posts here will show you how to do that. That'll give you some more browser options, and some of your log in issues might be OS and not browser specific.

Or, put Debian or MintPPC or Lubuntu on that sucker and have a whole bunch o browsers to choose from. Iceweseal, Iceape, Midori, luakit, dwb, Links2, Netsurf, Xombrero, Qupzilla....

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

The Omni group have indicated that the version that is still available to download for PowerPC is the last one that will support it. The new "Mavericks" version has been in beta forever, and since Omniweb is a free product from a small software company I think its safe to say that is a dormant if not dead project.

Your 800mhz ibook will run Leopard with LeopardAssist, and it will be decent speed wise if you turn off some of the Leopard iCandy. Numerous posts here will show you how to do that. That'll give you some more browser options, and some of your log in issues might be OS and not browser specific.

Or, put Debian or MintPPC or Lubuntu on that sucker and have a whole bunch o browsers to choose from. Iceweseal, Iceape, Midori, luakit, dwb, Links2, Netsurf, Xombrero, Qupzilla....

It seems that Leopard may be slow regardless, especially with 768MB of RAM. I have considered Linux PPC, but there are many known issues---esp. with getting your WiFi card recognized. The process seems a little intimidating, even though I am knowledgeable when it comes to old Macs. Do you have any pointers for installing Linux on a PPC Mac?

 

[tom vilsack]

You could try a older version of Opera that works with Tiger or Leopard...I find it runs all the web sites I need and fairly fast...

http://www.oldapps.com/mac/opera.php?old_opera=39

 

[Imixmuan]

I will totally agree installing Linux is intimidating, especially coming from OS X, where everything is handed to you on a silver platter. Its important to remember that Debian didn't build the hardware, and Apple never intended for anything but OS X to run on your ibook. Most issues lie within the scope of those two statements.

MintPPC is probably the "best" distro for a new Linux user. I wouldn't reccomend installing it on your main machine until you are completely comfortable with Linux though. Here is zen.state's take on MintPPC, he used to be regular here.

http://powerpcliberation.blogspot.ca/2014/05/mintppc-debian-for-novice.html

Most wireless issues with Linux involve installing the right driver for the card which Debian doesn't provide automatically as its proprietary software. Typically with the broadcom cards its something called the b43 driver, which can be found online and installed easily. MintPPC does it for you. The other major issue is installing the right xorg.conf file. Every mac is slightly different so there is no one universal xorg.conf. Again. MintPPC has a number of xorg.conf files which you can try if you run into issues after installation.

Also DVDs may not play out of the box, as you need libdvdcss2, which again Debian doesn't provide for legal reasons. Its not hard to find either. There is no Flash for PowerPC Linux, which is not a bad thing as it forces you to use alternatives to what is a shittastic piece of software anyway.

If you want to do things "the hard way" and learn a lot about Linux in the process follow the luddites guide:

http://ppcluddite.blogspot.com/2012/03/installing-debian-linux-on-ppc-part-i.html

It is hands down the best guide to Linux on PowerPC I've ever seen. Hands down.

Some would argue you are better off finding a cheap older PC and installing Linux on that. You sure will have a lot more choices of distrobutions. Consider a decent dual core processor laptop that can easily run Ubuntu or Linux Mint (the most user friendly distros out there) can be found for fifty bucks or less on ebay. It might be the best way to get one's feet wet in the Linux world.

 

[PowerMac G4 MDD]

I will totally agree installing Linux is intimidating, especially coming from OS X, where everything is handed to you on a silver platter. Its important to remember that Debian didn't build the hardware, and Apple never intended for anything but OS X to run on your ibook. Most issues lie within the scope of those two statements.

MintPPC is probably the "best" distro for a new Linux user. I wouldn't reccomend installing it on your main machine until you are completely comfortable with Linux though. Here is zen.state's take on MintPPC, he used to be regular here.

http://powerpcliberation.blogspot.ca/2014/05/mintppc-debian-for-novice.html

Most wireless issues with Linux involve installing the right driver for the card which Debian doesn't provide automatically as its proprietary software. Typically with the broadcom cards its something called the b43 driver, which can be found online and installed easily. MintPPC does it for you. The other major issue is installing the right xorg.conf file. Every mac is slightly different so there is no one universal xorg.conf. Again. MintPPC has a number of xorg.conf files which you can try if you run into issues after installation.

Also DVDs may not play out of the box, as you need libdvdcss2, which again Debian doesn't provide for legal reasons. Its not hard to find either. There is no Flash for PowerPC Linux, which is not a bad thing as it forces you to use alternatives to what is a shittastic piece of software anyway.

If you want to do things "the hard way" and learn a lot about Linux in the process follow the luddites guide:

http://ppcluddite.blogspot.com/2012/03/installing-debian-linux-on-ppc-part-i.html

It is hands down the best guide to Linux on PowerPC I've ever seen. Hands down.

Some would argue you are better off finding a cheap older PC and installing Linux on that. You sure will have a lot more choices of distrobutions. Consider a decent dual core processor laptop that can easily run Ubuntu or Linux Mint (the most user friendly distros out there) can be found for fifty bucks or less on ebay. It might be the best way to get one's feet wet in the Linux world.

Oh, believe me, I recently serviced about 20 Windows PCs at once... I have gone through h3ll and back! (in terms of fussing with cr@ppy Windows software and cr@ppy OEM/vendor hardware) xD Things became so bad that I put Linux on those that wouldn't do with Windows. I am familiar with Linux, although not on the super technical side.

I definitely know more than you may think, but nothing much about PowerPC Linux. Mint PPC sounds good... I am aware it's a network install, correct? I think I can get by fine with the installation, but to clear things up: Assuming it's a network installation, aren't you supposed to type in the Linux Mint website URL or something? (if so, what is the network install URL?). The reason why I am coming up with this stuff is because I once tried this on an original slot-loading iMac G3, and I remember having to type in something of the like in order to get the installation going. (needless to say, the installation didn't work on that thing, but I am sure it will on my iBook).

So with Mint PPC, most things should work out of the box? I have noticed that regular Linux Mint seems to detect foreign USB wifi "dongles" spot-on.

With these clarifying questions answered, I am sure I can try this out with little trouble. Sorry for the late response---I am just seeing this message now.

 

[grahamperrin]

OmniWeb is not dormant

… I think its safe to say that is a dormant …

No, not dormant …

 

[Imixmuan]

Dormant for PowerPC

You're right, sorry I was misled by a post I had read on another site, its very much in development. Its completely dormant for PowerPC of course.

 

[grahamperrin]

A healthy sensibility

No need to apologise

… its very much in development. Its completely dormant for PowerPC of course.

I imagine that The Omni Group keeps a few PowerPC Macs, where past versions of products (not limited to OmniWeb) run on and alongside Apple software products of that era.

Occasional work in that environment can maintain a healthy sensibility of what feels right, of what does not.

 

[grahamperrin]

Web (previously known as Epiphany) on Mac OS X on PowerPC?

… Everything on YouTube works under Omniweb …

From that, I assume that you choose to not use Adobe Flash Player (to not use an outdated, insecure version).

If so, then a more exotic experiment could be a MacPorts installation of (Gnome) Web, previously known as Epiphany.

The attached screenshot shows Web on Mavericks.

 

[Cox Orange]

(...) For example, I am on TFF now because both Tiger Webkit and Omniweb are not able to log me in to my MR account.

(...)

This is interesting, since with Safari (which is webkit, too, if I am correct) I have problems logging in to macrumors, too.
I found out that everytime I get a blank page, after I do something, the adress reads "about:blank"). The work around to this is: go back and update the page.
For example, if I hit "answer" and write my post and then hit "submit reply", I get the white page. Then I go back to the forum overview and click on the thread again, the new post will be visible.

HOWEVER, I noticed, that in both TFF and Safari MR allways displays "log-out" in the upper right corner (implying, that one is logged in already, everytime you open the page, although you didn't log in before.)
Also, when I visit MR for the first time of the day and it shows "log-out" I still have to log in. Also, although it says "log-out" pressing "Log-out" doesn't log me out.

(...) I was also on some other website with Omniweb, and certain click-able items weren't working; these buttons were essential to what I was trying to do. (set up an account)
(...)

What I am concerned about is, that it could start somewhen, that I no longer see some things that should be there and I don't know, that it is missing on the site. I will be doing scientific research (no "important" life changing research ) for the next 6 months and when I am at home and I am digging through something I start getting this insecure feeling. Well most databases (of libraries and institutes) are luckily old software, so there are not so much problems, but there are rare cases, where they have updated the interface software of the database.