Comparison of Non KernelEx Web Browsers

[M()zart]

The last internal build of Firefox 2x was 2.0.0.22pre, dated 04-15-09. I don't know if there's any significant difference between it and 2.0.0.20, likely it just has whatever changes were implimented in Seamonkey at the time up to 04-15-09.

I have tried this build. It is much worse than 2.0.0.20. I don't remember exact details, but it seems more unstable, has more troubles with extensions, and doesn't work with flash.

[herbalist]

Addition to my last post regarding:

"Most KernelEx equipped PCs should run the Vidalia bundle just fine as a client. If you opt to run Tor as a relay, exit node, or bridge, it will increase the demand on your system and internet service substantially."

Tor-Vidalia is a substantial load on your system, primarily due to the number of connections it opens. This increases greatly when it's run as a relay or exit node. When run as a relay, the Tor-vidalia bundle causes a lot of newer Windows operating systems to run out of buffer space and fail, usually in a few hours to a few days. See https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/98#comment:74. You can also see what to expect if you report a potential solution or workaround as a 98 user. The results on their IRC channel were no better.

On this PC, with RP9 and 1GB RAM, the Vidalia package has run steadily as a relay for almost 3 weeks. I'm almost positive that Revolutions Pack is largely responsible for this long term stability. In this thread I've listed some of the registry changes and Tor configuration file changes I've made to improve stability. As far as I can determine, 98 (on reasonably strong hardware) with the KEX and RP9 unofficial upgrades is completely capable of functioning as a stable Tor relay, exit node, or bridge, but the Tor network will not accept it as a valid relay or exit node because it is running on 98. Even if your 9X system will run Tor as an effective relay, very little traffic will come your way. Fortunately, for use as a client that just connects you to the Tor network, your OS doesn't matter.

Edited September 5, 2011 by herbalist

[ScrewUpgrading]

rilef said:

http://www.mdgx.com/upd98me.php

Older versions of Firefox and SeaMonkey are not secure browsers. For more secure browsing, use IE, Maxthon, Avant, or SlimBrowser after updating IE with MDIE6CU. Or better use Opera 10.63. Or best, use later versions of Firefox, SeaMonkey, or Opera with Kernelex.

I wouldn't even know where to begin at MDGX.COM, not to mention what updates to use. It's such a user-unfriendly website that any advantage it offers is sure to be buried in a maze of incomprehensible jargon.

You have to be cryptologist to decipher that webpage.

[Foxbat]

ScrewUpgrading, learning to use the search function will help a lot when you're at MDGx's website. Click on the link provided by rilef, hit Ctrl + F to open your browser's search window and search for "MDIE6CU". Bull's eye. I'm no cryptologist, just a Win9xer who's thankful that MDGx still maintains his invaluable website.

[technoid]

On my slower 98se systems (AMD K6-III 400, 256MB and AMD K6-III+ 600, 384MB), my main browser is KMelion 1.5.4, because it feels fast, doesn't hog memory too much, and is perhaps a little more updated than the other obsolete browsers aforementioned. I do get those stop script errors and they indeed are a pain in the neck/arse. A good percentage of that is obviously from Javascript conflicts, so all I have to do is press F7 to disable/enable JS. For example, I have a bum time getting this msfn forum to load when JS is enabled, so I turn it off when I'm here. It's [almost] smooth sailing after that. Of course without JS on particular websites, JS turned off will disable things like dropdown menu animations, login scripts, buttons, and whatnot. Here at the MSFN board, turning off JS does make things smoother, but some of the menus don't retract, etc. I am ok with that. Right now I am logged in here and writing this with JS off. But Images is turned on because the Reply button is an image, don't know where to click it when it's invisible (maybe webdesigner should've added something like an ALT string to that Reply graphic). When the need arises, I turn on JS here. So all I do is turn off or on JS in KM at particular times at a "problem" website and see what happens. Sometimes there is not anything you can do, so in that case, I will just have to try a different brand browser. But for overall speed I use KM, not to mention with Popups, Images, Animation, Flash and Ads (and the occasional JS) all turned off. I am on dialup most times and all those things off helps get the site downloaded faster. I guess the question is why KMelion dropped 98se support for later version and/or why they could not update 1.5.x to update Javascript. I don't much about JS to comprehend that.

[jumper]

My system:

• VIA C3 Ezra "Gigapro" @ 735MHz (MMX, 3DNow!)
  
• 256MB SDRAM
  
• Win98SE
  

My browsers:

Firefox 2.0.0.20

• AdBlock Plus 1.0.2 + Element Hiding Helper 1.0.5
  
• QuickJava - Java and JavaScript enable buttons
  

Opera 10.63

• for reading Twitter
  
• too many annoyances for everyday use
  

Off By One 3.5.d - overview

• jaw-dropping fast, even on slow machines
  
• simple tabbed interface and options are very easy to use
  
• doesn't suffer from "Stop script" errors because it doesn't support JavaScript!
  
• layout is HTML 3.2+frames only--no style sheets.
  
• great for news sites with bloated layouts and forums
  

Internet Explorer 5.0

• Win98se default
  
• useful for JavaScript compatibility testing
  
• can't find the 5.0.1 update needed by some software installers
  
• can't find unbranded IE 6.0 (only updates!)
  

Has anyone tried Pale Moon 2.0.0.20? It should be just like Firefox, only faster.

[dencorso]

Did you look at oldapps and at MDGx's?

[jumper]

Did you look at oldapps and at MDGx's?

Wow! IE6.0 full is both at oldapps and oldversion!

I've used both sites before--must have been wanting 5.01 (which they don't have) when I looked.

And I see now that evolt has all versions from 1.0 through 6.0sp1 (plus some SDK's).

RP9 needs IE6 to function correctly, so both upgrades are now on my ToDo list.

Thanks, dencorso!

[ScrewUpgrading]

Wow, that "Off By One" browser is the craziest thing I've ever seen!!!!!!!!!!!

I just tested it on the following websites:

-Drudge Report.com (super fast, graphics disabled/enabled)

-Fan Fiction.net (super fast, no graphics. I love this website.)

-Information Clearing House.info (no graphics, fast)

-various blogs at wordpress and blogger (works best with graphics disabled. Able to quickly browse through text.)

Overall, not bad.

I'm trying to think of a situation where it would be of use. Probably revive some ancient computer with it. Not only that, but it's small enough to fit on a floppy disk. (I still remember how to make multi-volume archives using ARJ and Pkzip, just in case any program won't fit.)

Darn, I wish I still had my old Dell 486sx with 16MB Ram. I'm sure this browser would be PERFECT for surfing the net.

Thanks, Jumper. I'm coming up with a new project to do now. And I'm already making a list of software that I'd use.

I might be the only guy on the net using a 486 pretty soon :w00t:

My Windows 95 Dream Machine setup, with buttloads of abandonware:

-Off By One Browser

-LView Pro 1.c

-Pictview 1.95 for DOS (This link is for the rare unreleased final version that is faster, and has a couple more features than the well-known 1.94 version. Check it out!)

-QPV/386 1.7e

-PkZip for Windows

-Microsoft Word 6.0

Edited September 7, 2011 by ScrewUpgrading

[jds]

The last internal build of Firefox 2x was 2.0.0.22pre, dated 04-15-09. I don't know if there's any significant difference between it and 2.0.0.20, likely it just has whatever changes were implimented in Seamonkey at the time up to 04-15-09.

I have tried this build. It is much worse than 2.0.0.20. I don't remember exact details, but it seems more unstable, has more troubles with extensions, and doesn't work with flash.

Do try to remember!

I use Bon Echo 22pre all the time, and the only issue I have with it, is unresponsive (slow) Javascript. Flash also works fine, so can you give more details on that problem too?

That said, I now prefer the current version of Opera with KernelEx , not sure how 10.63 compares with this, if it's similar I would consider it for native W98.

Joe.

[M()zart]

OffByOne - yes, i remember it. I always have it on all my PCs as a fallback browser. Once after some crash it was the only working browser on my PC when I needed to download some file that should fix my system and it saved me.

Jds, when I get to my PC, I'll install Bon Echo again. It won't be soon, now I'm on the sea resort, replying to the forum from my mobile phone. And this forum is quite heavy for the phone, Opera Mobile complains at not enough memory when more than two tabs of this forum are open, even with disabled images.

[SomeGuy]

You might want to check this out: http://toastytech.com/files/95browsing.html

It adds a single fix to SeaMonkey that adds better fallback for sites that use the new section tags - sites that use that have text all over the place in SeaMonkey 1.1.19. Also a couple of stability fixes for 95 and 3.51, but those are not applicable for 98.

[ScrewUpgrading]

I've been fiddling around for the last week testing out my browsers and came to several conclusions:

(1) Netscape and K-Meleon absolutely fly with javascript disabled. Nothing else even comes close to these two. Every humongous website that I threw at them, they quickly demolished it. Secondly, they don't need KernelEx, nor do they require any fancy plug-ins or extensions such as "noscript" in order to disable javascript. The less crap I have to install the better. The more crap I have to install, I can feel my computer getting slower. (The change is noticeable on dial-up)

(2) After a week of messing around with "Noscript" I found that Seamonkey started to get bogged down. I think it's a lot faster to simply kill ALL javascript, then it is to have an outdated, obsolete patch (Noscript v1.10) on top that just filters the scripts. You can probably chalk it up to the fact that that version of Noscript, the last one to work on outdated Win9x browsers, is simply defunct crap.

(3) As a dial-up user, I really have zero choice anymore for selecting a Win9x browser. Unless I want my web surfing experience to be nothing short of torture, I'm forced to use Netscape and K-Meleon with no javascript. Everything else, including Kernel-Ex compatible browsers, is too slow, too sluggish, too temperamental, or just plain crap.

(4) I don't know what I'm going to do next for a computer. Linux, can't find any ISP's that offer cheap linux service, if at all (too much hassle to be worth it). Don't like Macs. Refuse to buy another proprietary Windows OS and pay for more unnecessary "upgrades."

What's left?

Anybody ever try that Arachne browser for DOS?

The future of the internet doesn't look very appealing. It looks like everybody's going to have the same homogeneous computer connected to the cloud and nothing will be private and your computer is just like everyone else's. Don't forget that Microsoft will have full access to it, for you "benefit" of course. *They gotta keep peddling their upgrades* (Basically, your computer will be an intrusive, corporate advertisement.) *Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade*

[Monroe]

Yes, the K-Meleon 1.5.4 browser also works for me. Since this topic started I have downloaded and tried many browsers but really didn't find anything to my liking. I like the Privacy tab under tools and can easily control everything there, blocking and unblocking everything ... can also use the "F" keys ... F7 = JavaScript on and off ; F8 = Popups on and off ; F9 = Images on and off.

I still want to work more with SeaMonkey 1.1.19 since herbalist mentioned some things he liked about it. I did find the OffByOne browser interesting with no JavaScript but it had a few drawbacks.

K-Meleon 1.6 Beta 2 also runs very well on Windows 98SE but with KernelEx ... K-Meleon 1.5.4 runs very well, as you said, with no KernelEx.

...

[rilef]

I made an unscientific comparison test, comparing various browsers, on my legacy 98SE computer.

Times to open each browser on a blank page:

K-Meleon 1.6.0.................................................................. 18 seconds

SlimBrowser 5.00 build 99................................................ 3 seconds

Internet Explorer 6.0.......................................................... 2 seconds

Opera 10.63...................................................................... 10 seconds

Firefox 2.0.20......................................................... 1 min 25 seconds

Firefox 3.5.8...................................................................... 52 seconds

Times to render a new webpage (no graphics or ads) for each browser:

K-Meleon 1.6.0.................................................................. 24 seconds

SlimBrowser 5.00 build 99.................................................. 3 seconds

Internet Explorer 6.0.......................................................... 3 seconds

Opera 10.63........................................................................ 3 seconds

Firefox 2.0.20....................................................................... 6 seconds

Firefox 3.5.8......................................................................... 6 seconds

My browser of choice for 98SE is Opera (better security than IE or IE-based browsers, such as SlimBrowser).