Is it safe to uninstall libwebkit-1.0-1 on a Nokia N810?
 

I bought a Nokia N810 from someone who'd bought it from someone else and didn't know about the previous owner's customizations.

The tablet's software version is OS2008, 5.2008.43-7 and it looks like the original owner may have done minor hacking. For example, I found what seemed to be Android installer, apparently never used (would run slow on this unit).

In the process of cleaning up unwanted apps, I noticed libwebkit-1.0-1 (1.0-svn41137-13) and am wondering if it's safe to uninstall so I can free up 14mb. The description lists it as a "Web content engine library for GTK+".

I have a good idea what GTK is but don't know how it interfaces with OS2008. I'm not a programmer and deleting it gives me pause. Is libwebkit-1.0-1 just for developers, or possibly linked to other apps on the N810? Is there any reason I'd need it - if I never write software?

Thanks for any help.

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P.S. Related to this question, my assumption is that most apps in the Application Manager "...installed..." window are usually only linked if it's mentioned in the brief description line below them. The dependency of Firefox on Mozilla Runtime is one example of that. I uninstalled both with no problem.

Re: Is it safe to uninstall libwebkit-1.0-1 on a Nokia N810?
 

First: If you've got someone else's machine, you don't selectively remove stuff. You clean the whole thing: reflash. Don't waste your time uninstalling.
Then selectively install what you want.

Re: Is it safe to uninstall libwebkit-1.0-1 on a Nokia N810?
 

Well, there's a lot of good stuff on it, including the latest OS2008 version and cumbersome Wayfinder map-downloads that I'm fine with keeping. It took me 5 hours to get the Eastern U.S. map.

Nokia has reduced their support for the N810 and for me it's not worth the potential re-installation hassles right now. You can't even download Skype for it anymore (officially).

I may reformat it in the future but I'm looking for a specific answer to this question at the moment. Thanks.

Re: Is it safe to uninstall libwebkit-1.0-1 on a Nokia N810?
 

You can reflash the latest OS2008 version. ;)
Also I'm pretty sure that maps are stored on the MMC/SD card, but I've never really used Wayfinder.

Sure the Tableteer repository is enabled? It's still present in http://catalogue.tableteer.nokia.com.../user/s/skype/, at least.

The third-party Tear browser uses it; however, none of the components that come with OS2008 require it. If, for some reason, you require it again, look here: http://www.bundyo.org/maemo/webkit/. Also, as root, you may wish to try the simulate option of apt-get (or as an alternative, the rdepends option of apt-cache): apt-get remove --simulate libwebkit-1.0-1

If a program is registered with the package manager as requiring that library, apt-get will not allow for the package's removal and if not, then the simulate option won't remove the package (I guess simulate is optional, then...)

Re: Is it safe to uninstall libwebkit-1.0-1 on a Nokia N810?
 

well, looking at http://repository.maemo.org/extras/pool/diablo/ I can tell only that this package is not in Extras, so either it come from different source (non-official repository) or it is rather important integral part of system and you should not uninstall it. Anyway, if description says "Web content engine library for GTK+" and AFAIK whole user interface of your device is written in GTK+, after removing this package you may not be able to browse any web pages later (so browser and any other html-related stuff won't work). But that is just my guess. It is not meant for programmers only. Packages (and generally programs) in Linux-based (and in Windows, but it is more noticable in Linux) systems are organized in a way that you have binaries which are using libs extensively. Packages with "lib" in the beginning of their names provide dynamic libraries for your system, which are later used by binaries (so if you have default web browser in your system and another browser, you don't need to have two copies of the same page renderin kit in your system and waste space, instead you have two small binaries and one big package with rendering engine library which is used by both programs). Think of this packages libsomethingsomething as .dll files in Window systems (maybe it makes it clearer for you - libblahblah packages have .so files inside them which work like .dll files in Windows).

So, generally, if you don't know what it does and it has webkit in its name ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webkit -it's known web rendering engine ), I would not recommend you deleting it. And any other package with "lib" in the beggining of its name. Instead, delete all unnecesary apps from app manager and later type in terminal as root These command will remove every unneded lib- package from your device.

Edit: See post above for explanation where did this package came from ;)

Re: Is it safe to uninstall libwebkit-1.0-1 on a Nokia N810?
 

I understand that the previous owner probably has some really nice settings or apps already "preloaded", but if I were you I'd be paranoid about the scripts he/she might have kept running.
I'm not saying that the previous owner is definitely malicious (or stupid), but I wouldn't take that chance.

There is of course, nothing wrong with what you're doing, but from a security point of view, all bets are off.

Also, are you sure about Skype? I reflashed my n810 about a month ago and all that I had to do get it started again was to click on the skype button. This caused the skype application to be auto installed and it was up and working in about 5 minutes.

I've never used the wayfinder thing, so I wouldn't be able to comment on it.

Re: Is it safe to uninstall libwebkit-1.0-1 on a Nokia N810?
 

At the moment I just don't feel like hassling with a reformat but in time I might. Normally I buy electronics brand new but I wanted a cheap device to test the whole tablet concept. Skype wasn't even on the unit, but it can be found unofficially and works well.

https://support.skype.com/en-us/faq/...a-N800-or-N810

(Update: I learned what Tableteer is all about and have an "official" Skype version now. I was basing my initial Skype comments on hearsay, apparently.)

The GPS function (with or without the paid navigation service) is one of the high points for me. It's said that the satellites lock slowly, but that only seems to be during the initial setup. Being able to download free maps is a lot more fun than paying tons. It stores maps on the internal memory card, which (I assume) will get wiped during flashing. At least the "Clear device data" function does that. Some map downloads can take many hours and they don't seem easy to backup and restore.

Re: Is it safe to uninstall libwebkit-1.0-1 on a Nokia N810?
 

That's good info.

The command "apt-get autoremove" immediately found: libidn11, libwebkit-1.0-1, libxslt1.1, and said all 3 were "automatically installed" and "no longer required."

I ran the other 2 commands and nothing seemed to be affected by them. So far, the browser and everything else seems to be working fine.

Re: Is it safe to uninstall libwebkit-1.0-1 on a Nokia N810?
 

So, libwebkit-1.0-1 was after all not needed and has been installed previosly just as a dependency of other package/app, which you did manually uninstall recently. The "autoremove" does just that. "clean" and "autoclean" just clean the package cache (previously downloaded package files ready for installing) and other stuff (they don't do much and finish working quickly, as package manager does most of these things automatically after installing/uninstalling packages).

Re: Is it safe to uninstall libwebkit-1.0-1 on a Nokia N810?
 

Maps are saved in the internal 2gb card, vs. the "Memory card" (plug in).

I don't yet understand the Tableteer thing but I'll check it out.

I think it must have been for the Tear browser, which was on there but I had already removed it. As mentioned to another poster, those apt-get commands found the lib... file in question, plus 2 others and said they were safe to delete, which I did.