[BRLTTY] Is there a feature-compatible text-based browser

[kperry at blinksoft.com]

I would love to know if there are any documents on how people think a more
console based web browser should deal with dynamic web pages.  The back end
can deal with it but We have to come up with a good way to deal with it with
the synths and displays we have.  What are peoples ideas?  

-----Original Message-----
From: BRLTTY <brltty-bounces at brltty.app> On Behalf Of Jeanette C.
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2025 10:33 AM
To: Informal discussion between users and developers of BRLTTY.
<brltty at brltty.app>
Subject: Re: [BRLTTY] Is there a feature-compatible text-based browser

Hi Brian and everyone,
I love lynx, mostly preferred it over the alternatives, eventhough, at
times, other would offer a little more. But I can see where a direct new
interface, instead of processing output to lynx has its advantages.

There is dynamic change of contents, perhaps a few extra navigation
posibilities, like jumping to headings and the likes or even navigating to
different sections of a page, using the underlying DOM, the semantic HTML
sections (header, nav, main, footer, ...).

Only because something is good, does not mean there cannot be anything
better or equally good. And with the web, the way it is, a UI directly
tailored to work with incoming info and the reactivity, has many benefits.
-- Lastly, the browsers in question have extra config options, which we also
might very much like to control from such an interface. It has been
mentioned before: turning Javascript on and off and this is only one of the
more common and relevant options.

All in all, this doesn't preclude another project or a fork working with
lynx. 
For many use-cases this will be ample.

Best wishes,

Jeanette

Brian Buhrow, Sep 17 2025:

> 	hello Ken.  I realize this is going into the weeds a bit, but you 
> realize lynx uses ncurses to provide its full screen interface?  So, 
> I'm confused when you say you'd rather see an ncurses interface over 
> lynx?  As to the useability of the lynx interface, of the text 
> browsers I've worked with, elinks and lynx, in my view, lynx wins 
> hands down.  It provides a rich set of controls, allows text searches 
> on all pages, drop down menus and provides good pagination as well as easy
forward and backward navigability.  And, cursor tracking works very well
with all the screen readers I've worked with which support such things.
>
> 	I would be interested to know which text based browser you think 
> provides a better interface than lynx?
>
> -thanks
> -Brian
> On Sep 16,  7:41pm, <kperry at blinksoft.com> wrote:
> } Subject: Re: [BRLTTY] Is there a feature-compatible text-based 
> browser } Who knows if it can be funded.  Note this has been done in 
> the past like I } said we had one of these for years on the mobile 
> manager.  The mobile } manager just ran Linux Open embedded.  Recently 
> I even made two test } versions using different automation sweets and
chromium back end for chrom.
> } It would use Python as a front end, and it would be configurable.   The
test
> } version I made worked on the BTSpeak, my Linux box and my windows 10 at
the
> } powershell prompt.  So, I am sure this is something that can be done.
It
> } sounds like Nickolas already has a start on a firefox one, but I am 
> not a } fan of the Lynx interface.  I would do it more ncurses based 
> which would } make it portable and easy to configure.  I would love to 
> help with } Nickolas's work though, so I am not knocking that either.  
> I think we need } choices. I also think we need a design document.  
> There has to be a better } interface than lynx.
> }
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