How to compare one browser versus another in your PUPPY

Browsers, email, chat, etc.
Post Reply
Message
Author
gcmartin

How to compare one browser versus another in your PUPPY

#1 Post by gcmartin »

This thread is a request for insights of a tool for Puppy Linux's browser measurement.

On far to many occasions in the past in Puppyland, there have been browser concerns raised to Puppy development and, sometimes, by development. Much of the discussion is along the lines of personal preferences.Sometimes its along the lines of download size, sometimes its about processor use, sometimes about RAM use, sometimes about memory use (yes, RAM and memory are distinct), sometimes about the time to start to the desktop when first used, sometimes ... and so on and so on.

To provide both developers and users a good manner of measurement, we need some way of looking at browsers better than the sometimes emotional methods we've used in the past.

So I ask
  • Can anyone of this community suggest or provide a recommendation of a UTILITY we can use to compare browser operations in any given PUPPY? OR,
  • is there a way to use an existing Puppy utility to get measurement information on browser impact on the system?
  • And, What should the criterion be for the decision process for an OOTB browser solution in a stock-standard PUP (in other words, does measurements weigh in the process of having a browser in PUPs)?
This could have high value in giving impartial insights to browser operations on the 32bit and 64bit distros used in Puppyland.

jabu2
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue 08 Apr 2008, 03:19
Location: Australia

#2 Post by jabu2 »

GCM - your posts are usually interesting, so I read this one.

Browsers are also interesting, being (or becoming) close to the meaning of life (i.e. part of the operating system, as defined).

However, your questions are straw-men. They assume problems where none exist; indeed the problems could be opportunities.

You ask: Can anyone of this community suggest or provide a recommendation of a UTILITY we can use to compare browser operations in any given PUPPY?

Probably yes; but ultimately any such utilities will be restrictive, probably give invalid results, and possibly stultify development. The magic bullet theory rarely works.


or is there a way to use an existing Puppy utility to get measurement information on browser impact on the system?

Is "impact on the system" in any way related to "browser operations" in a user-functional sense ? These terms are ambiguous, and probably my understanding of them could be quite different to others?

And, What should the criterion be for the decision process for an OOTB browser solution in a stock-standard PUP (in other words, does measurements weigh in the process of having a browser in PUPs)?

"in other words", probably not, or at least not worth bothering about (those probably invalid measurements). Life is too short to stuff a mushroom.

Surely we have OOTB solutions already for browser choices. And choices may depend on many variables, ultimately coming down to user's choice, which again depends on more variables, including why a user is using Puppy?

More seriously, when google- firefox- opera- change stuff nearly every week, why try and measure something (anything? what? why?) which may change sooner than the weather?

If we give 'em all a go, evolution will sort out the problem?

The criterion/criteria is "does it work?, for this user?, at this time?, (on whatever Puppy she is using, on whatever machine/device).

I am using Opera - it must be Thursday :lol:

ATVB (all the very best)

Pelo

Keep on old browsers versions !

#3 Post by Pelo »

Keep on old browsers versions ! If your old version runs well, keep it !
I don't understand why Firefox is issuing so many updates. Firefox is used on Windows. There perhaps is the explanation, for security reasons.

Pelo

Upload of your videos on 'YOU TUBE"

#4 Post by Pelo »

choice of old versions quickpet for old browsers.
And old browser does not mean it is unserviceable. You will only miss security and perhaps uploading abilities.
As the quickpet includes them, these browsers are supposed to run well in all Puppies.
Main criteria is size of the package, Your Ram , and what the browser will be used for.
To upload videos on You Tube, you need a recent one, Firefox will not disappoint You Tube, netsurf, hum... Palemoon last version is ok.

User avatar
ETP
Posts: 1193
Joined: Tue 19 Oct 2010, 19:55
Location: UK

How to compare one browser versus another in your PUPPY

#5 Post by ETP »

Hi gc,

Almost 3 years since you posed this question but here is the current de facto benchmarker:

https://chromium.github.io/octane/

Results on same PC.

BROWSER: _________________________________________________________OCTANE 2.0 SCORE:

Google Chrome Version 49.0.2623.87 (64-bit) DLNA Werewolf64 V2_____________27523

Firefox 45.0 (64-bit) DLNA Werewolf64 V2_________________________________26819

Google Chrome Version 49.0.2623.87m (64-bit) Windows 10__________________25129
Regards ETP
[url=http://tinyurl.com/pxzq8o9][img]https://s17.postimg.cc/tl19y14y7/You_Tube_signature80px.png[/img][/url]
[url=http://tinyurl.com/kennels2/]Kennels[/url]

gcmartin

#6 Post by gcmartin »

Thanks for this utility. I have several systems that I run and I find my numbers differ across systems; Intels/AMDs/TVs(ARMs). Excepting for one (TV), they each have several browsers. My Chrome/Chromium/Firefox/SeaMonkey all give differing numbers yet they are reasonably close too.

Over the years, in observation, community objections to various browsers have reduced and seemingly are gravitating to personal choice, rather than emotional concerns.

I like this tool and think I will use it to build a local DB for my PCs, their OSes, and the browsers which run within each.

User avatar
Mike Walsh
Posts: 6351
Joined: Sat 28 Jun 2014, 12:42
Location: King's Lynn, UK.

#7 Post by Mike Walsh »

Hi, ETP.

What's the 'Octane' score supposed to represent? I've run it in SlimJet 8.0.4.0 in Win XP (the 'portable' version), and it 'only' returns a score of 8904...

Is that 'good or 'bad' ? And what, if anything, can you do about it?


Mike. :wink:

bark_bark_bark
Posts: 1885
Joined: Tue 05 Jun 2012, 12:17
Location: Wisconsin USA

#8 Post by bark_bark_bark »

Mike Walsh wrote:Hi, ETP.

What's the 'Octane' score supposed to represent? I've run it in SlimJet 8.0.4.0 in Win XP (the 'portable' version), and it 'only' returns a score of 8904...

Is that 'good or 'bad' ? And what, if anything, can you do about it?


Mike. :wink:
I really would take any of those score seriously. Benchmark software has a limitation of not being able to represent performance on real world usage.
....

User avatar
Mike Walsh
Posts: 6351
Joined: Sat 28 Jun 2014, 12:42
Location: King's Lynn, UK.

#9 Post by Mike Walsh »

Oh, I don't take anything like that too seriously. Was just curious as to what it actually represents.


Mike. :wink:

User avatar
ETP
Posts: 1193
Joined: Tue 19 Oct 2010, 19:55
Location: UK

#10 Post by ETP »

Hi Mike Walsh & bark_bark_bark,

Over the years there have been a lot of browser benchmarking packages & developer suites to test various aspects of performance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_speed_test

The point about the tests frequently not representing real world performance is a valid one.
In the case of Google's Octane 2.0 it does attempt to test real-world code.

https://developers.google.com/octane/be ... -in-detail

The results I posted above do match my subjective findings which gives me some faith in it.

Chrome/Chromium were at one time well ahead of the game but since versions 39 & 42 have lost
some of their former snappiness. Firefox has steadily improved.

At the end of the day what matters is for any particular OS on any given kit:
How responsive does any particular browser feel?
How smoothly does it render and scroll?

There are just so many variables here. Puppy with the same version of Chrome does feel quicker than Windows 10. :) :)
Regards ETP
[url=http://tinyurl.com/pxzq8o9][img]https://s17.postimg.cc/tl19y14y7/You_Tube_signature80px.png[/img][/url]
[url=http://tinyurl.com/kennels2/]Kennels[/url]

User avatar
Mike Walsh
Posts: 6351
Joined: Sat 28 Jun 2014, 12:42
Location: King's Lynn, UK.

#11 Post by Mike Walsh »

Hi, ETP.
ETP wrote:Chrome/Chromium were at one time well ahead of the game but since versions 39 & 42 have lost
some of their former snappiness. Firefox has steadily improved.

At the end of the day what matters is for any particular OS on any given kit:
How responsive does any particular browser feel?
How smoothly does it render and scroll?

There are just so many variables here. Puppy with the same version of Chrome does feel quicker than Windows 10. :) :)
I must agree with you there, about them losing their 'snappiness'. I put it down to the increasing levels of sandboxing myself.

For quite a while I ran Chromium 36.0.1985.143, and kept the PepperFlash module (libpepflashplayer.so) up-to-date. I dare say it'll still run now, but I was simply getting fed up with the constant nagging to upgrade.

It was so smooth & responsive, and very lightweight. Then I started using Chrome proper, having found out ways to make it run in the Slackos.

Now, of course, 32-bit Chrome is officially dead; as of yesterday, you can no longer download it from the official Chrome site. It's 64-bit or nothing. So I've finally made the move to 64-bit Pups; Tahrpup64, which runs very nicely.

I've always been able to run 64-bit Pups, just haven't wanted to; the 32-bit Puppies simply fly on this big old Compaq desktop of mine...

I'd be curious to know if there was a 64-bit version of Chromium 36.0.1985.143; I wouldn't mind re-installing it again.


Mike. :wink:

User avatar
ETP
Posts: 1193
Joined: Tue 19 Oct 2010, 19:55
Location: UK

#12 Post by ETP »

Hi Mike,
I'd be curious to know if there was a 64-bit version of Chromium 36.0.1985.143; I wouldn't mind re-installing it again.
Many of the Apps & extensions now require that you be running a very recent version. If you want to experiment I would
suggest that you do so on another copy of your target Pup. You may have to sort out missing dependencies as well as
persuading it to run as root. Rather you than me! I would just wait for Chrome/Chromium to improve again which it is
starting to do. (new stable release today)
If you are dead set on experimenting this may work on a 64-bit Ubuntu based pup.
https://launchpad.net/~canonical-chromi ... ld/6279804
(2nd item (40.9 MiB) on Built files list)
Regards ETP
[url=http://tinyurl.com/pxzq8o9][img]https://s17.postimg.cc/tl19y14y7/You_Tube_signature80px.png[/img][/url]
[url=http://tinyurl.com/kennels2/]Kennels[/url]

Post Reply