Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 09:33:00 GMT From: Peter Naulls To: The Icon Bar Subject: Firefox and RISC OS - A message for all RISC OS Users This is a long message, and necessarily so as to present an understandable picture, and even given the length I've left out information in order to keep the length down. Please try and read all of it, and all the referenced URLs before replying publicly or privately. As many of you know, I have been working on many ports, or conversions of software from other platforms for the last few years under the guise of the Unix Porting Project and other related work including the GCCSDK project (GCC for RISC OS). If you've been following the project closely - as a subscriber or otherwise - you may well appreciate the very considerable amount of work involved. This is a consequence of the desire to bring many new pieces of software to RISC OS in a reasonable time frame, as well as put in places systems and compatibility to make this process much easier in future for myself and others. This is in contrast to the traditional RISC OS porting approach of just porting a few pieces of software independently of each other and spending a great deal of time on them. As you probably also know, chief among the project's aims is to bring a new, comprehensive open source web browser to RISC OS. If you've read the document I put together, "The RISC OS Browser Issue" (http://www.riscos.info/unix/browser.html) you'll appreciate why I believe that a commercial browser can never provide an entirely satisfactory solution for RISC OS browsing; largely as a result of the sheer complexity of developing and maintaining one, but also for other reasons I name. I strongly encourage you to read this if you haven't already. The above document was assembled at a time when the browser situation on RISC OS was already in bad shape - now it has become crucial, especially since browsing has long since become a ubiquitous part of the internet experience. I don't think I have to spell out for anyone how important this need is, or what might to happen RISC OS and RISC OS users if something isn't done about this situation. The project's current focus is to bring Firefox to RISC OS: Firefox is the most recent browser to come out of the Mozilla project, and has already gained significant support from users on Windows, Linux and other platforms. And since its heritage includes the Netscape and Mozilla browsers along with a very active developer base, it can access almost all websites. Firefox is also the largest ever program converted to RISC OS, and along with other technologies that are being developed and improved to allow it, and many other programs to run, you may be able to appreciate the significant effort required. I can now report that I am making excellent progress on bringing Firefox to RISC OS, and although the time frame isn't entirely clear and although it doesn't actually run just yet, I'm not aware of any large technical problems in having it do so. As part of the process of browser evaluation, and as a process of tackling smaller programs first, the project previously ported a lightweight, and not terribly featureful browser, Dillo, to RISC OS. This browser is available on the Unix Porting Project website, and may give you a flavour for how Firefox on RISC OS could look. Sadly, I'm not yet able to make any screenshots available of Firefox on RISC OS, but will do so as soon as I'm able. And although I am very pleased with the foundations the project has been able to lay in the last few years, and the very real progress that has been made, as well as encouraging a few developers to take a fresh look at things, the problem now facing me is one of financing the project. The time I have put in has been significant, and although I don't regret the decisions I made, it has certainly also considerably compromised me financially by not being able to take up more fiscally rewarding work. The contributions to the UPP have been helpful and in many cases very generous, but ultimately, given the small number, sadly rather modest. The bottom line is that very shortly, it will become untenable for me to continue to spend significant time on this project because I simply will not be able to afford to do so. I therefore ask RISC OS enthusiasts to contribute to this important project, and I have specific messages for various groups: Existing Unix Porting Project subscribers - I'd like to again thank you for your contributions so far. I don't expect you to contribute further to the project beyond your subscription or resubscriptions, but I would like to enlist your help in persuading others that this a worthwhile cause. RISC OS Developers - if you're at a loose end, or desperate to contribute in some way, I have a large number of projects of all sizes and abilities. If you're after something to do, then email me, and I'll try and find you something you can stick your name on. Other RISC OS users - this is a chance to contribute in a practical way to tangible RISC OS development. I ask that you consider subscribing to the project: more information on http://www.riscos.info/unix/subscription/ You'll gain access to the support mailing list and be able to suggest other programs to be ported. Alternatively, I propose you pledge an amount to the project which you will make available to me once a beta version is available. I say beta, because a fully polished and integrated browser is likely to be some months after an initial version. This will be a promise to pay your pledged amount - I suggest 25 or 50 UKP - and I will make the beta browser available to all once I receive the majority of these. At that time, your pledge will become a regular project subscription. RISC OS companies - I appeal to your business acumen. After all, you still wouldn't be here if you didn't know the market. I'd like you to consider the implications of being able to offer a comprehensive browsing experience to your customers especially considering the long term viability of offering RISC OS products. Consider an investment in the project - after all, it is you who ultimately make money out of RISC OS. I mentioned at the beginning that there was a great deal more to say - and there is, but what might even ultimately be more important than Firefox itself is that porting Firefox to RISC OS is not an end unto itself. I have a whole range of applications that are excellent candidates for converting to RISC OS, and which this work will make even easier. A short list includes Kaffe, an open source Java Virtual Machine (the port is already mostly complete), AbiWord - a word processor with excellent MS word compatibility, Gnumeric - a spreadsheet with Excel compatibility and many more. I will also quickly mention NetSurf. I am in daily contact with its developers, and although the two browsers are very different in nature and have little in common, the underlying RISC OS specific technology is precisely the same, and there has been much benefit to Unixlib and related items from developments so far. Indeed, the NetSurf developers have commented that it probably wouldn't have been possible without the Unix Porting Project. It is unlikely that NetSurf will ever be able to provide the same kind of comprehensive browsing experience that Firefox can for reasons stated in the RISC OS browser issue - rather, it is likely that it will be a lightweight and fast complementary browser, and probably somewhat better integrated into RISC OS. More information about Firefox: http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ The RISC OS Browser issue: http://www.riscos.info/unix/browser.html Further articles, many have relevance to the project: http://www.riscos.info/articles/ Please send any queries to unix@chocky.org. For pledges, please email unix@chocky.org with the subject "pledge" and your pledge amount in the title or body. There is no need to include a message if you do not wish to. I am happy to discuss this on public forums, but I encourage you to firstly read this again so you make sure you are informed as possible, and secondly choose locations where they will get the most visibility such as drobe.co.uk comments and the comp.sys.acorn.* usenet groups. If there are repeated questions that are the same, then I will make a follow on post. Thanks for your attention. -- Peter Naulls - peter@chocky.org | http://www.chocky.org/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unix Programs on RISC OS | http://www.riscos.org/unix/