Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

Hi,

I installed Firefox Fennec RC1 and wrote down some initial thoughts about it versus microB here:

http://blog.twinapex.fi/2010/01/02/m...irefox-fennec/

If you are considering starting to use Fennec I recommend to read the blog.

-Mikko

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

Great comparison !

Could you in your comparison also include Midori as a alternative, Webkit based browser ? I'm sure lots of people (including me) would like a well written comparison including that one as well.

I know Midori is still in extras-dev (for Andre : usual disclaimers : it can brick your system, don't try it unless you know how to reflash) but a honest comparison would be nice, to judge it's current state.

Thanks again.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

Exceptionally well written comparison, my thoughts mirrored exactly.

I find it surprising for Mozilla - this should still be beta, not a release candidate. I love the UI and its implementation, now we just need the speed of microB implemented to make this a pure winner.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

I was going to do this compairson but when Firefox nearly locked up my device. I love the UI and compatibility with addons, but it needs some work. Good compairson OP.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

Great work :). It's also my point of view. Fennec needs to be at least as fast as microB. MicroBs free zooming is also missing :(.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

Awesome news... I love the look and feel of Fennec, much better than MicroB... However, the speed it runs makes it almost unusable :( I understand it is just the first release and it's still a release candidate so I'll give the guys time, great work to by the ways, thanks.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

My experience with with N810:

MicroB: Takes about 30sec. before I can start scrolling the page
Fennec: In 20sec. I can start scrolling
After that both work pretty much the same, although Fennec shows that white&grey checker background when scrolling long distances (rendering the actual page takes a while, sometimes it's fast, sometimes it's slow).

Same happens with other sites also. Looks like Fennec doesn't like N900 and Nokia did good job with new MicroB. Fennec is no means excellent browser (still some weird issues occasionally) but I really hope they can further improve the Fennec because I really like the interface and it works with some sites where N810's MicroB fails.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

I think Midori is still so alpha that it shouldn't be even considered.

The user interface is direct desktop port and lacks zooming, proper touch scrolling, etc. stuff

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

I preffered MicoB.

Seemed a lot smoother and quicker.

display was fine.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

bring back Opera from the pre-OS2008 days

ok, only kidding :-D

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

i like opera, i use it on my windows xp laptop and used it on my n97, altho iv never used a maemo device yet and by the looks of it micro-b really shines, so im sure there will be no need for opera.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

I only need text wrapping at different zoom levels in MicroB then it would be perfect.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

Opera Mini does still "turbo-proxying" i.e. tunnels all HTTP requests through a proxy server over on TCP/IP socket. This seriously improves loading performance.

Normally each HTTP request opens its own TCP/IP socket, each socket needs handshaking and there is serious latency issue with radio networks, pages load slow over 3G.

To have a special proxy server needs infrastructure, though. Opera is willing to invest, but I am not sure whether there exists any hackish solutions for open source community.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

I agree! I find myself using large characters from options MicroB for some pages. In that case the page buildup isn't normal anymore. Gives bigger rendered text though...

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

Maybe a little OT but possibly relevant in future browser wars on our N9xx : I'm wondering what the future direction of Nokia will be on browser technology in further Fremantle and Hamattan releases as I seemed to have read somewhere that in QT 4.6 the webview component will be fully Webkit based.

Will there be 'space' to support and enhance the Gecko AND the Webkit engine on the same device ? As QT 4.6 is supposed to be the 'unifying' toolkit across platforms, will there not be a great push to use QT embedded webkit components ?
And maybe also deliver a full blow webkit browser, all in QT 4.6 technology ? Any ideas on this ? Or is this way too early, looking at the state of development of 4.6 to see a firm strategy developing ?

If the Webkit engine becomes so firmly embedded in the QT toolkit and QT is pushed hard enough by Nokia, given good feature, quality & speed (highly uncertain for now) then the Gecko based browsers might have a hard battle to fight ...

What about the upcoming WebRuntime technology, for 'easy' developments ? Will it use QT 4.6 underlying (and as such webkit) for it's web display needs ? Or will it be toolkit/browser agnostic ?

Feel free to label this too OT, I just tough it was appropriate in a browser comparison thread :)

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

Could one of you guys that has Fennec RC1 installed try stephenfry.com for me? MicroB cuts off the left of the page, and so did my N97's S60 browser.
Thanks.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

One such page being talk.maemo.org :)

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

Qt is about WebKit and now you can already use WebKit component on N900.

However, I belive Nokia might want to position itself with Mozilla Foundation here. WebKit development is much controlled by Nokia's rivals Google and Apple and there might be a healthy reasons to have alternatives for WebKit when thinking about the future of web development.

Nokia also has shown that it is not very capable of creating good UI shell around the browser, no matter what the engine is.

But even without Nokia, Mozilla Foundation will pursuit developing Gecko engine as long as they have cash flowing in.

Re: Comparison: microB vs. Firefox Fennec
 

i cannot install fennec on my n900 for some unknown reason. has anyone else had any problems?

since it seems that the default browser is better anyway i am not too bothered yet. however, this is the first problem i have had and am curious to know what might be wrong.

thanks all