Comments on: Can Konqueror Compete? A Look at KDE’s Browser http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/ Open Source, Open Standards Sat, 05 Oct 2013 13:48:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: knowing it http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-878531 knowing it Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:55:36 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-878531 The kidneys filter large amounts of money to advertise and persuade you to buy that separately. These U S face the economics of health care over there, due to effects on the user experience since we first saw this interface -- everything now comes off as real sweet and innocent. Then you can have some spectacularly animated weather animations signifying the current weather, or stock updates, or a combination of vigor and Niagara as in Falls. Many of these tell me that they had a decent amount of knowledge of observed natural phenomena. The kidneys filter large amounts of money to advertise and persuade you to buy that
separately. These U S face the economics of health care over
there, due to effects on the user experience since we first saw this interface —
everything now comes off as real sweet and
innocent. Then you can have some spectacularly animated weather animations signifying
the current weather, or stock updates, or a combination
of vigor and Niagara as in Falls. Many of these tell me that they had a decent
amount of knowledge of observed natural phenomena.

]]> By: Myrna http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-878427 Myrna Wed, 17 Apr 2013 03:54:37 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-878427 Remember the biological or psychological cause of erectile dysfunction ED use Farmacia On Line to treat two children for pulmonary hypertension, which is 5x11ft - all with that same one gallon. Remember the biological or psychological cause
of erectile dysfunction ED use Farmacia On Line to
treat two children for pulmonary hypertension, which is 5x11ft – all with that same one gallon.

]]> By: ioggstream http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6382 ioggstream Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6382 Konqueror is cool because you can both browse the web, open samba shares, ftp/http/webdav/ldap(s). opening and saving docs as if they were on your pc.<br /> <br /> and it's transparent for you. sure in the latest release it surfs slower :( but still avoids me to open tonns of windows using the same one for file browsing/preview and web.<br /> Peace, R. Konqueror is cool because you can both browse the web, open samba shares, ftp/http/webdav/ldap(s). opening and saving docs as if they were on your pc.

and it’s transparent for you. sure in the latest release it surfs slower :( but still avoids me to open tonns of windows using the same one for file browsing/preview and web.
Peace, R.

]]> By: phil42 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6383 phil42 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6383 i recently tried to post a reply on a yahoo message board and failed. its good, but don't remove firefox. i recently tried to post a reply on a yahoo message board and failed. its good, but don’t remove firefox.

]]> By: gerlos http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6384 gerlos Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6384 It's true that Konqueror isn't so full-featured as firefox, and that some websites (really few) don't work correctly with it. <br /> But you forgot to say that Konqueror is *a lot* lighter than firefox! <br /> It needs really few resources, giving you many "plus": for example, you can drag-and-drop a lot of things from and to konqueror and using the kwallet integration you get web form autocompletition and secure password management. <br /> In my experience, this makes Konqueror interface faster and more confortable than Firefox one.<br /> <br /> And it's not true that you can't use Ctrl-T to open a new tab. Did you try? The main shortcut is Ctrl-Shift-N, but the secondary one is by default Ctrl-T. But if you don't like it, just change it, like *any* shortcut in KDE. It's really easy.<br /> <br /> Obviously, its integration in KDE makes it reall useful and confortable for a lot of things. Just to say one thing, it uses as default download manager kget, that lets you download torrent files and metalink resources out of the box, without the need of any addon.<br /> Also the search tool is more useful, since give you more options than firefox one (they are almost the same options of the search tool in the kate text editor). <br /> <br /> And there is really a lot of work on it (as on all KDE). They are working on an auto-sensing spell check, that will change automaticcaly the language of the spell checker when you start writing on a french forum or on an english blog. There is also some work on the integration with nepomuk, that lets you add comment and tags to web pages, and lets you retrieve pages from a search, just like recent or tagged files. And they are speaking about a way to use firefox add-ons in konqueror.<br /> <br /> I suggest you to come back to konqueror in a few month, say, in the autumn, there will be a lot of new interesting features... It’s true that Konqueror isn’t so full-featured as firefox, and that some websites (really few) don’t work correctly with it.
But you forgot to say that Konqueror is *a lot* lighter than firefox!
It needs really few resources, giving you many “plus”: for example, you can drag-and-drop a lot of things from and to konqueror and using the kwallet integration you get web form autocompletition and secure password management.
In my experience, this makes Konqueror interface faster and more confortable than Firefox one.

And it’s not true that you can’t use Ctrl-T to open a new tab. Did you try? The main shortcut is Ctrl-Shift-N, but the secondary one is by default Ctrl-T. But if you don’t like it, just change it, like *any* shortcut in KDE. It’s really easy.

Obviously, its integration in KDE makes it reall useful and confortable for a lot of things. Just to say one thing, it uses as default download manager kget, that lets you download torrent files and metalink resources out of the box, without the need of any addon.
Also the search tool is more useful, since give you more options than firefox one (they are almost the same options of the search tool in the kate text editor).

And there is really a lot of work on it (as on all KDE). They are working on an auto-sensing spell check, that will change automaticcaly the language of the spell checker when you start writing on a french forum or on an english blog. There is also some work on the integration with nepomuk, that lets you add comment and tags to web pages, and lets you retrieve pages from a search, just like recent or tagged files. And they are speaking about a way to use firefox add-ons in konqueror.

I suggest you to come back to konqueror in a few month, say, in the autumn, there will be a lot of new interesting features…

]]> By: alrac http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6385 alrac Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6385 Nice review, Joe, though as a developer an ace writer I wish you had dug into the issue of correct page rendering and performance more. We keep getting told "code your pages to standards and then you don't have to worry about specific browser support." So what's the problem-- does Konqueror not support standards, or do web devs code for specific browsers, probably IE and Firefox, and still ignore standards?<br /> <br /> I'm not as happy with Firefox extensions as you are. Mozilla exerts zero effort to inform users if extensions are safe, and won't even make them disclose their licenses. So users have no easy way to sort out proprietary extensions and FOSS extensions. Pretty lame for a supposed OSS project. It's also a bit scary that Firefox updates are managed independently of distro package managers-- this means there are no checks or balances against malicious code being inserted via a third-party extension. Nice review, Joe, though as a developer an ace writer I wish you had dug into the issue of correct page rendering and performance more. We keep getting told “code your pages to standards and then you don’t have to worry about specific browser support.” So what’s the problem– does Konqueror not support standards, or do web devs code for specific browsers, probably IE and Firefox, and still ignore standards?

I’m not as happy with Firefox extensions as you are. Mozilla exerts zero effort to inform users if extensions are safe, and won’t even make them disclose their licenses. So users have no easy way to sort out proprietary extensions and FOSS extensions. Pretty lame for a supposed OSS project. It’s also a bit scary that Firefox updates are managed independently of distro package managers– this means there are no checks or balances against malicious code being inserted via a third-party extension.

]]> By: calcmandan http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6386 calcmandan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6386 I use konqueror as exclusively as possible. I agree with the op on almost every point. I am not alone with the experience of needing to refresh the same youtube page five times before the video displays properly. It's such a light browser in terms of resources that I sigh whenever I NEED to open firefox. FF is great and all, but gone are the days that it is fast and light (I miss it's v1.0 days). Is it frustrating that gmail doesn't load quickly? Sure, but I get my gmail via imap in kontact so it's not that much of an issue. I wish I knew how to code well enough to assist in the plugin aspect of the browser. If it could get some love it would reinforce users like myself who would like to stick with a light/fast browser. I use konqueror as exclusively as possible. I agree with the op on almost every point. I am not alone with the experience of needing to refresh the same youtube page five times before the video displays properly. It’s such a light browser in terms of resources that I sigh whenever I NEED to open firefox. FF is great and all, but gone are the days that it is fast and light (I miss it’s v1.0 days). Is it frustrating that gmail doesn’t load quickly? Sure, but I get my gmail via imap in kontact so it’s not that much of an issue. I wish I knew how to code well enough to assist in the plugin aspect of the browser. If it could get some love it would reinforce users like myself who would like to stick with a light/fast browser.

]]> By: hhemken http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6387 hhemken Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6387 I can understand why Konqueror-as-web-browser is compared to Firefox or IE, but that's only part of the story. Firefox, IE, and Windows Explorer do not even compete as generic file viewers, which is what Konqueror really is. Whether you are surfing the web, your local filesystem, USB storage, or a variety of network shares, Konqueror is by far the best and most established tool to quickly take a look at file content. It has been my default file navigator for years, though I only occasionally use it as a web browser.<br /> <br /> The point is that Konqueror in particular and GNU/Linux in general allow greater versatility and a wider range of behaviors than popular stereotypes of computer users would suggest. Locking yourself into one or a few well-known paradigms is stifling. Tools like Konqueror free your mind. I can understand why Konqueror-as-web-browser is compared to Firefox or IE, but that’s only part of the story. Firefox, IE, and Windows Explorer do not even compete as generic file viewers, which is what Konqueror really is. Whether you are surfing the web, your local filesystem, USB storage, or a variety of network shares, Konqueror is by far the best and most established tool to quickly take a look at file content. It has been my default file navigator for years, though I only occasionally use it as a web browser.

The point is that Konqueror in particular and GNU/Linux in general allow greater versatility and a wider range of behaviors than popular stereotypes of computer users would suggest. Locking yourself into one or a few well-known paradigms is stifling. Tools like Konqueror free your mind.

]]> By: wweng_linux http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6388 wweng_linux Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6388 konqueror has very poor support for Chinese language.<br /> <br /> And the poor support has lingered for many years. konqueror has very poor support for Chinese language.

And the poor support has lingered for many years.

]]> By: flyingbaobab http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6389 flyingbaobab Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6389 For my day to day browsing i use firefox, but for a few special java applets I prefer konq. It performs way better when having multiple instances open, and it consumes less resources while doing that. For my day to day browsing i use firefox, but for a few special java applets I prefer konq. It performs way better when having multiple instances open, and it consumes less resources while doing that.

]]> By: pecoraro http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6390 pecoraro Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6390 I use Konqueror for all my heavy lifting every day at work and at home, but I NEVER use it as a web browser. I think it's unfair to expect this excellent file manager, graphical sftp client, etc. with wonderful KDE integration to be anywhere as good a web page browser as Firefox or any of the top browsers out there.<br /> <br /> With Konqueror I can work with files located on computers all over the map as though they are on my local machine reliably, quickly, seamlessly and encrypted. If I click on a pdf file it opens right in the same window in 2 seconds with KPDF integration, for example. You could take the web browser functions out of Konqueror and it would still be my most used utility/program. I use Konqueror for all my heavy lifting every day at work and at home, but I NEVER use it as a web browser. I think it’s unfair to expect this excellent file manager, graphical sftp client, etc. with wonderful KDE integration to be anywhere as good a web page browser as Firefox or any of the top browsers out there.

With Konqueror I can work with files located on computers all over the map as though they are on my local machine reliably, quickly, seamlessly and encrypted. If I click on a pdf file it opens right in the same window in 2 seconds with KPDF integration, for example. You could take the web browser functions out of Konqueror and it would still be my most used utility/program.

]]> By: argon99 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6391 argon99 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6391 If Konqueror has a w3c validator why didn't you use it to compare the pages between Konqueror and Firefox? I suspect that the pages that loaded much faster in FF where written to load faster in FF and they were not w3c compliant. But more to home I was attempting to set up a POS AP from EnGenius. The web interface would not render properly in firefox. It didn't render properly to the point that I could not setup the device. Because I don't do windows I have no copy of IE. But Konqueror worked just fine.<br /> <br /> Also I have never seen Konqueror crash. Firefox crashes all the time. But they do give you a nice interface to go back to the page you crashed on. This means they know it crashes but can't figure out why.<br /> <br /> But they most damning thing about Firefox is how it handles bookmarks. Firefox uses a format for the book marks that does not allow one to easily convert them to a different browser (This is truly scummy). Konqueror uses basic HTML to store book marks. Firefox is using proprietary techniques to force people from leaving their browser. This single fact has me not using Firefox ever again. I won't allow a software program have that much power in my life. Wasn't the FOSS about freedom as in speech but I can't get my bookmarks out of firefox??? Time to dump them. If Konqueror has a w3c validator why didn’t you use it to compare the pages between Konqueror and Firefox? I suspect that the pages that loaded much faster in FF where written to load faster in FF and they were not w3c compliant. But more to home I was attempting to set up a POS AP from EnGenius. The web interface would not render properly in firefox. It didn’t render properly to the point that I could not setup the device. Because I don’t do windows I have no copy of IE. But Konqueror worked just fine.

Also I have never seen Konqueror crash. Firefox crashes all the time. But they do give you a nice interface to go back to the page you crashed on. This means they know it crashes but can’t figure out why.

But they most damning thing about Firefox is how it handles bookmarks. Firefox uses a format for the book marks that does not allow one to easily convert them to a different browser (This is truly scummy). Konqueror uses basic HTML to store book marks. Firefox is using proprietary techniques to force people from leaving their browser. This single fact has me not using Firefox ever again. I won’t allow a software program have that much power in my life. Wasn’t the FOSS about freedom as in speech but I can’t get my bookmarks out of firefox??? Time to dump them.

]]> By: slasher01 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6392 slasher01 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6392 Konqueror is one of the main reasons why I use KDE rather then GNOME. Perhaps one day Nautilus will be as versatile as Konqueror - but until then... Konqueror is one of the main reasons why I use KDE rather then GNOME. Perhaps one day Nautilus will be as versatile as Konqueror – but until then…

]]> By: cybe_r_wizard http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6393 cybe_r_wizard Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6393 One little nit:<br /> You said, "...KDE Project’s alleged support of Mac OS X and Windows (try actually finding packages for those platforms from the KDE Web site)..."<br /> I had not known about this effort and admittedly didn't go through the KDE website as you said, but a simple Google search for, "kde windows," turned up http://windows.kde.org/ pretty quickly (first hit).<br /> <br /> From there it's just one click to download the installer.<br /> Sorry I can't comment on it further as I have no Windows. One little nit:
You said, “…KDE Project’s alleged support of Mac OS X and Windows (try actually finding packages for those platforms from the KDE Web site)…”
I had not known about this effort and admittedly didn’t go through the KDE website as you said, but a simple Google search for, “kde windows,” turned up http://windows.kde.org/ pretty quickly (first hit).

From there it’s just one click to download the installer.
Sorry I can’t comment on it further as I have no Windows.

]]> By: wweng_linux http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6394 wweng_linux Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6394 In the old days that Nautilus can also use gecko and act as a web browser. I don't know why they whacked it, probably because the thing is soooo damn slow... In the old days that Nautilus can also use gecko and act as a web browser. I don’t know why they whacked it, probably because the thing is soooo damn slow…

]]> By: masinick http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6395 masinick Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6395 I find that how well Konqueror renders certain pages depends on which browser identification string I use for certain sites. Reading Yahoo Mail works fine as long as I select an ident string that Yahoo recognizes.<br /> <br /> General performance of Konqueror is acceptable as a Web browser, but tight integration with KDE and the use of the KDE Parts is what really makes it nice. I see no compelling reason to use Dolphin instead of Konqueror as a file and resource management application, but I can understand why people would use alternative Web browsers.<br /> <br /> I've seen discussions (and arguments) about whether KHTML support should be continued or if KDE should adopt the full time use of Gecko, Webkit, or some other rendering technologies that are under more rapid development. From my perspective, I do see some of the other technologies seemingly advance at a more rapid pace, but I also see plenty of allegiance to the hard work that has gone into the existing KDE effort. As long as that interest continues, why not have an alternative? I still use Konqueror as a browser on occasion, though I most definitely use it as a file manager - and in that role, I find it to arguably be the most complete one around, though not the "lightest and fastest". Overall, Konqueror is a great resource to have on the system. I'd rate it mediocre as a browser, but excellent in nearly every other way. I find that how well Konqueror renders certain pages depends on which browser identification string I use for certain sites. Reading Yahoo Mail works fine as long as I select an ident string that Yahoo recognizes.

General performance of Konqueror is acceptable as a Web browser, but tight integration with KDE and the use of the KDE Parts is what really makes it nice. I see no compelling reason to use Dolphin instead of Konqueror as a file and resource management application, but I can understand why people would use alternative Web browsers.

I’ve seen discussions (and arguments) about whether KHTML support should be continued or if KDE should adopt the full time use of Gecko, Webkit, or some other rendering technologies that are under more rapid development. From my perspective, I do see some of the other technologies seemingly advance at a more rapid pace, but I also see plenty of allegiance to the hard work that has gone into the existing KDE effort. As long as that interest continues, why not have an alternative? I still use Konqueror as a browser on occasion, though I most definitely use it as a file manager – and in that role, I find it to arguably be the most complete one around, though not the “lightest and fastest”. Overall, Konqueror is a great resource to have on the system. I’d rate it mediocre as a browser, but excellent in nearly every other way.

]]> By: bcspratt http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6396 bcspratt Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6396 I agree, Konqueror is by far the best file manager I have ever seen. I really love it's ability to allow me to split screen and drag and drop files to and from folders. I can even drag and drop files to and from web sites like they were just another folder on my PC.<br /> <br /> I rarely use Konqueror as a web browser and would only be tempted to do so on a system that was thin on resources. I agree, Konqueror is by far the best file manager I have ever seen. I really love it’s ability to allow me to split screen and drag and drop files to and from folders. I can even drag and drop files to and from web sites like they were just another folder on my PC.

I rarely use Konqueror as a web browser and would only be tempted to do so on a system that was thin on resources.

]]> By: hugocoolens http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6397 hugocoolens Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7320/#comment-6397 After experimenting with lots of webbrowsers which I want to display<br /> _fully_ _vocalized_ Arabic, my conclusion is that the Times New Roman<br /> font together with Konqueror is until now the best way to go. As I<br /> have heared some news that Konqueror will be put on a "side track"<br /> in favour of Dolphin, I only can hope the developers will keep the<br /> excellent support for displaying Arabic language.<br /> I have put a html-test-file on my website which can be used by the<br /> developers to test whether their browsers perform correctly and also<br /> some screenshots which show the typical problems with a lot of browsers when<br /> displaying vocalized Arabic:<br /> 1. http://users.skynet.be/hugocoolens/download/arabic_test.html (test-<br /> file)<br /> 2. http://users.skynet.be/hugocoolens/download/split_problem.png (this<br /> shows the "split-problem" which occurs with many browsers when using<br /> fully vocalised Arabic i.e. the occurence of unwanted gaps between the<br /> characters)<br /> 3. http://users.skynet.be/hugocoolens/download/test_iceweasel2.0.0.17.png<br /> (this shows "vocalization-mash" i.e. vocalization signs being written<br /> _on_ the characters in stead of below or above, this was done with<br /> iceweasel 2.0.0.17) (It's a shame that the iceweasel/firefox<br /> developers don't use the experience which the Konqueror developers<br /> have)<br /> 4.http://users.skynet.be/hugocoolens/download/test_konqueror3.3.5.png<br /> (correctly placed vocalization signs and no split-problem, this was<br /> achieved with Konqueror 3.3.5)<br /> <br /> As I don't have yet the latest Konqueror version at my disposal I hope<br /> the developers will keep maintaining their excellent support for<br /> displaying Arabic. Maybe you think why is all this so important, but just imagine how you would appreciate your roman text characters being displayed distorted every time you are browsing the Internet.<br /> <br /> regards,<br /> Hugo Coolens After experimenting with lots of webbrowsers which I want to display
_fully_ _vocalized_ Arabic, my conclusion is that the Times New Roman
font together with Konqueror is until now the best way to go. As I
have heared some news that Konqueror will be put on a “side track”
in favour of Dolphin, I only can hope the developers will keep the
excellent support for displaying Arabic language.
I have put a html-test-file on my website which can be used by the
developers to test whether their browsers perform correctly and also
some screenshots which show the typical problems with a lot of browsers when
displaying vocalized Arabic:
1. http://users.skynet.be/hugocoolens/download/arabic_test.html (test-
file)
2. http://users.skynet.be/hugocoolens/download/split_problem.png (this
shows the “split-problem” which occurs with many browsers when using
fully vocalised Arabic i.e. the occurence of unwanted gaps between the
characters)
3. http://users.skynet.be/hugocoolens/download/test_iceweasel2.0.0.17.png
(this shows “vocalization-mash” i.e. vocalization signs being written
_on_ the characters in stead of below or above, this was done with
iceweasel 2.0.0.17) (It’s a shame that the iceweasel/firefox
developers don’t use the experience which the Konqueror developers
have)
4.http://users.skynet.be/hugocoolens/download/test_konqueror3.3.5.png
(correctly placed vocalization signs and no split-problem, this was
achieved with Konqueror 3.3.5)

As I don’t have yet the latest Konqueror version at my disposal I hope
the developers will keep maintaining their excellent support for
displaying Arabic. Maybe you think why is all this so important, but just imagine how you would appreciate your roman text characters being displayed distorted every time you are browsing the Internet.

regards,
Hugo Coolens

]]>