Hello developers,

I tried running K-Meleon on a Pentium 3, on Windows 7 SP1 32-bit. Apart from Internet Explorer, K-Meleon (version KM76.1.1-Goanna-20190330) is one of three browsers I could install and get going on that system. (The others are Avanti Browser and Netsurf which doesn't have Javascript or HTML5 support.)
This is a dual-processor system at 1 GHz with 4 GB ECC RAM. The browser looks like it works, but it freezes a bit, then unfreezes a bit, then freezes again, etc.

I'd personally have no problem assembling another computer just like this one, and sending it to you developers. And I'd honestly send you another one with a K6-2 system (also with Win7 SP1 32-bit, but just 512 MB of RAM) which, as you probably know, doesn't have SSE, just MMX. (And 3DNow! which I understand isn't great?)
I don't know if this is too much to ask. I'd even make a Pentium 1 computer with Windows XP SP3 (and 512 MB of RAM).

Try it without js. Seems like most websites want to send js for r the user to compile and run.

Hanlon’s razor is an eponymous adage named after Robert J. Hanlon that states: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”

JamesD

@j_me

You may find this information useful.
http://kmeleonbrowser.org/forum/read.php?19,148500,148541#msg-148541

Thank you for the answer, @hermes - you'll notice that topic lists software and hardware requirements independently. They don't tell you what OS to install on what CPU. It looks like they assume everyone follows some sort of conventional wisdom.

That's what I usually avoid, which is exactly why I'm toying with Win7 (Home Premium) SP1 on a system less than Pentium 4. I specifically bought a dual-CPU Pentium 3 motherboard for these tests, in fact I have three similar systems.

I tried it and Windows Vista and Win7 also install on K6-III, K6-2 and... it seems, even K6 and K5. In fact, the hint has been out there since Vista's beta version - someone posted somewhere (haven't saved the link) that he installed it on a K5 computer.
So far, I'm only playing with a K6-III+ clocked to 600 MHz (easy, because it has an unlocked multiplier) and 768 RAM, and the dual Pentium 3 at 1 GHz with 4 GB RAM.

I'm pretty sure people would install Windows XP, 2003 or 2000 on such computers, or even Win '9x or Millenium. For me, Win '9x is for 386 computers. I have two of those, but they don't have enough RAM yet. (And they used custom modules.) Windows XP/2003 is, I believe, for Pentium 1, Pentium MMX and Pentium Pro. Pentium II can already run Win7.

That's why (and I'm including @JamesD here) I'd like to make one or more such computers and ship them to one of you developers. Nobody seems to have tested these configurations.
Or, maybe it's not possible to have it work better in these contexts? As in, if using Vista or Win7, one absolutely has to have a Pentium 4 for K-Meleon to run smoothly? I wouldn't know, I'm not a developer.

I'll go test it with js disabled asap. Thanks.

@j_me

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...you'll notice that topic lists software and hardware requirements independently. They don't tell you what OS to install on what CPU. It looks like they assume everyone follows some sort of conventional wisdom.

About processor instructions and minimal OS support:
http://kmeleonbrowser.org/forum/read.php?19,144552,144604#msg-144604
...
Most of the tests can be performed in specialized virtual machines (you really can create an eight-core Pentium 2 with SSE2 or i7 without MMX). This is very useful when testing. This is not effective in terms of emulation and performance, but it works and can be used.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2019 02:04PM by hermes.

No, Windows 7 doesn't need SSE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g84Jq1HRMbY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKd4TTntjYw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h79GsPbLJTM

The first processors with SSE were Pentium III from Intel and Athlon XP iirc, from AMD. These videos all showcase older processors.

Now, can the browser be made to run faster on these systems, when running Win7 ? I even ran it with Aero enabled, thus having the interface rendered by the video card instead of the central processor. It's quite annoying because , which is why I came here to ask.
So far it seems there's nothing that can be done. Disabling javascript would mean no Gmail, for example, or maybe just the HTML-only version.

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j_me
So far it seems there's nothing that can be done. Disabling javascript would mean no Gmail, for example, or maybe just the HTML-only version.

Why do you insist on permanent settings, like most people? I never understood that. It's nonsense in today's web, and always was with weak hardware.
There just is no perfect solution for ALL websites, that's not possible.
It's always a compromise to allow more stuff for important and useful sites, and block more stuff for other sites.
The solution is to either switch global permissions on and off as needed, quickly by a button or shortcut or menu, and/or define permanent exceptions for single domains.

For toggling global permissions with 1-button-click:
menu View > toolbars > Privacy Toolbar
It toggles some basic stuff, especially javascript (and privacy stuff like cookies, ancient adblock.css etc)

If you're interested in more global toggles, I also have buttons with triple toggles for iframes, external script files + css, ajax, media etc. (macro priv3buttons)

For domain black/whitelist KM contains some native functions, and more are available with the great and tiny addon ExExceptions (KM-fork also called ExExpermissions)

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siria
either switch global permissions on and off as needed, quickly by a button or shortcut or menu, and/or define permanent exceptions for single domains.

That's a great idea tbh, seriously didn't know it's possible!

I use win 7 on a notebook with 1.66ghz and 2gb ram but with Starter version of Win7 O/S. It is much faster than Home versions which are more resource intensive.

I'm always toggling js or images on and off.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/2019 11:36PM by Mello.

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Mello
I use win 7 on a notebook with 1.66ghz and 2gb ram but with Starter version of Win7 O/S. It is much faster than Home versions which are more resource intensive.

I've only ever seen one tiny laptop (called netbook nowadays?) with Starter on it. Yes, it was moving pretty well. Never, ever thought about using it anywhere.

Thank you very much for the idea. It just might work.

Also, in terms of fast browsing, on Win7 Home Premium SP1 I managed to install the browser called New Moon which is adequately fast - runs acceptably on a K6-III+ at 450 MHz with 768 RAM.

FWIW I'm using a athlon X2 II X280 3.6Ghz / 4Gb Ram system with XP without problems.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/2019 08:46PM by giro1991.