Post #1434574
2026-02-27 15:33 UTC
@dazo
> NetSurf might have a future, but it would need to improve the page rendering by a lot.
And here we, I mean we FLOSS creators and users, have the biggest problem: we are used to say "they would need to improve". "They" are supposed to have resources to improve. Or "they" are supposed to find a backing corpo funds and then do something for "us". Uh, then we'd balk at "them" for being not enough pure having a corpo sponsor.
Time to start thinking about reversing this trend. What about scaling down the features to the bare bones that are needed for _useable_enough_ environment in which a small teams of passionate hobbyists can maintain useful tools? I can't browse youtube nor github with NetSurf. Yet it is good enough to browse Wikipedia.
I would like to see the webs being accessible from the NetSurf and similar engines. Or at least that 0.1% of web content that matters.
Replies (1)
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@dazo@infosec.exchange 2026-02-27 18:01
@ohir I agree that a browser doesn't need all the fancy bells and whistles. But when it struggles to render a very basic and, by design, very simple HTML page - then the bar for a MVP is set too low. LWN is appreciated by lots of readers for being lightweight and avoid all the fancy web features so it renders well on most devices. And that's the level Jon Corbet is aiming for on that site. So it is a pretty good check to see how well a minimalistic browser engine works. And that's why I say NetSurf is not ready for primetime yet. But it may get there. And I hope it will improve with time.