Microb-engine SVN build
 

* Site's down. Use the mirrors below for the packages.

WARNING: Missteps here will result in your browser no longer functioning. The only way to fix it is to reflash. I will not be responsible for anything that happens to your tablet if you try this. You have been warned.

No way to fix it that I know of, anyways. I couldn't find packages for the preinstalled apps on the repos (minus a few) when I messed up.

EDIT: You can generate the debs of the browser components (as well as anything else that doesn't have a deb) before you install (thank you timeless and Benson). timeless's instructions and scripts are here. I've only gotten it to work up to the perl part (at the moment). Too tired to finish.

* Note: I am not a developer.

* Note: If you are unclear on how to do something, you will want to reconsider trying this out.

Ominous warnings aside, these packages are straight builds of the latest microb-engine svn. I have not edited the source at all and used the build files that came with the sources to whip them up. The packages can be found on my site here. Please go easy on my bandwidth; it's very limited. Mirrors will be greatly appreciated. Hacky instructions on how to install the packages are below.

To install, download all of the packages from the link above and use dpkg (You'll need to have root access, of course).

The suggested install order is as follows:

1. libnspr4
2. libnss3-certs
3. libnss3
4. microb-gtkmozembed
   
   This one's the tricky one. It conflicts with libgtkmozembed and to replace it, you'll have to remove components of the browser that you can't reinstall from repos (I couldn't find them, at least). To remove this without removing any of the packages it depends on, run:
   
   Code:

   ---

   dpkg --ignore-depends=microb-eal,osso-software-version,tablet-browser-controls -r libgtkmozembed

   ---

   Then, install microb-gtkmozembed. You'll also have to copy /usr/lib/microb-engine/libgtkembedmoz.so to /usr/lib/libgtkembedmoz.so.0 for it to run. I'd symlink it, but for whatever reason, it isn't created when I tried.
   
   
5. microb-refui
6. microb-xulrunner
7. microb-engine
8. microb-spellcheck

After that, just fire up the browser and give it a go.

To me, scrolling from the touch screen is much more responsive. It also highlights mispelled words in text fields. The browser in Diablo will probably have full spellchecking implemented. JavaScript performance also seems better. Who knows? Might be a placebo. Tell me what you think. Suggestions appreciated. If anyone can write a completely idiot-proof guide, I'll gladly replace this post with it.

Enjoy.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Mirrors granted:
Lots of bandwidth, but slightly slower (Preferred by me):

• http://www.filedropper.com/libnspr4104-65armel
• http://www.filedropper.com/libnss3104-65armel
• http://www.filedropper.com/libnss3-certs104-65armel
• http://www.filedropper.com/microb-engine104-65armel
• http://www.filedropper.com/microb-gt...bed104-65armel
• http://www.filedropper.com/microb-refui104-65armel
• http://www.filedropper.com/microb-spellcheck104-65armel
• http://www.filedropper.com/microb-xulrunner104-65armel

Not quite as much bandwidth, but faster:
http://truejournals.com/microb-new

Although... I haven't tried this out due to fear of reflash. You say you haven't modified it, does that mean it's not hildonized? Would love to see screenshots.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

It's basically just the engine. So you're still using tablet-browser-ui, but with the updated engine (so no new GUI features).

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

I saw a post somewhere this past week about packaging up debs of an initial install. It can be done, and then the resulting deb could recover from any mishaps...

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Hehe, timeless himself produced some scripts for doing just that on #maemo. ;)

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Yeah, those debs could be used to recover. Only problem is that the debs generated are not redistributable, so you gotta have to generate those packages before you try.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Navi (Post 178677) Code: dpkg --ignore-depends=microb-eal,osso-software-version,tablet-browser-controls -r libgtkmozembed .

I've been looking. osso-software-version is useless. Removed that a long time ago when I removed chess off my device.

microb-eal seems to be quite interesting as it provides some gconf schemeas, a osso-backup file and some scripts that the backup utility runs. Plus the microb-eal lib.

tablet-browser-controls just provides a library file. I'll hack up versions of these later that don't depend on libgtkmozembed (although you may have to symlink it)

Thanks for this :). I will install it as soon as I get home.

Ah, I see that perl script will back them up. Still think it's worth it making "hacked" versions?

No wait, I just realised you aren't removing the packages. Please highlight this to see evidence of my stupidity :P :D :o

Arrg! If you have the spellcheck extension installed, installing microb-spellcheck craps out on you. I just went and did force-all :/

EDIT: running apt-get -f install wants to "correct" my deps. I'm just gonna edit status file later.
Also, is it possible to set "Provides: libgtkmozembed" in the micro-gtkmozembed's control file?

Also symlinking that library worked for me.
It doesn't like about: to be run but that is minor.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Yeah, but the script to produce them would be redistributable, and used as step 1 of a slightly less risky step-by-step; I wouldn't worry about it personally, what could go wrong?...

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Well, I was stuck without a browser. Can't go back to a known stable build without generating them packages either (sans reflashing).
Well, it's just nice to have those packages in case you decide you actually want them.

I'll put up the package with the provides in a bit. Why didn't I think of that?
Didn't work.

mmk

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Thanks, now I don't have to wait ages for the status file to load up :)

I tried it out however, and great work! MicroB is incredibly much more responsive :)

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Thanks qwerty12, I've been wondering about osso-software-version since I accidently removed it myself but it seems to have no impact. (well my maps application isn't working but I think that's another issue). Not to mention I think the map is outdated so I use maemo mapper anyway. Now to do this.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

A little OT, but SVN builds (this, and osso-xterm) have a lot of capability in bringing the tablets up-to-date between releases, especially as Nokia tries to wrap things up for the next release. Indeed, it seems odd, on reflection, that there have been so few SVN builds around, when releases are so sparse.

I guess on other distros, building from SVN is normally done by individuals, just downloading the source and building; the only reason we even have packages SVN builds is because so few people have their tablets set up to build from source, so maybe it's not odd.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

While SVN builds are nice to have in-between releases, they're not really meant for the general public. It's up to the individuals to build and test themselves, really. I wouldn't have had posted these of GeneralAntilles didn't egg me on to do so.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Of course, but since it's (comparatively) a pain here to build for ourselves, it's quite nice to have them provided for us.

In that case: Thanks, General!

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Some testimonies on how well the new microb-engine works would be nice.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

No, on a Linux desktop, you already have all needed development tools installed, and no troubling space constraints (at least my Linux desktop does). But I'll be there with the N800, once I get reflashed and booting from SD; then it won't be bad, and I probably will be building some such things, and probably even packaging them up with dire warnings for others. (Are you cross-compiling, or set up on the device?)

No testimony yet, because I have two finals yet this week; I'll take the time to install tomorrow or Friday, probably, and then post flames or props.

It'd no doubt be a pain, but since we can swap engines, it seems like if the stock engine could be renamed somehow, you could have it alongside; might be handy with SVN builds, both for side-by-side comparison, and for fallback if the SVN of the week is particularly buggy.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Good luck on your finals, I'm about to start mine soon.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Excuse my ignorance in advance. :confused:

I have followed and succeeded with all steps, however I am unable to copy /usr/lib/microb-engine/libgtkembedmoz.so to /usr/lib/libgtkembedmoz.so.0. I tried using xterm, but to make a long story short, I could use help with commands. I also tried using emelfm2 and was able to find the file, but I kept getting permission denied when trying to copy the file over.

Any help would be great. Thanks.

***N/M. I figured out copy = cp

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

You shall have need of rootness...

(i.e. install becomeroot)
Then

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Yup, got it. Thanks.

So far the only thing i've noticed is that scrolling is indeed smoother as it does not lag or chop. If there is anything else noticable, i'll post back.

**Adblock and Flashblock no longer work with this SVN.

**Opening links SEEM slower too.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

OK, I decided to do some pre- and post-update "benchmarks". Note: I have adblock plus installed, so that could affect my results.

Pre-update:
Time from clicking "GMail" in bookmarks to gmail loaded:
1 minute, 11 seconds

Javascript benchmark test (http://celtickane.com/projects/jsspeed.php):
Try/Catch with errors: 1547 ms
Layer movement: 5361 ms
Random number engine: 5809 ms
Math engine: 8973 ms
DOM speed: 7003 ms
Array functions: 614 ms
String functions: 279 ms
Ajax declaration: 1578 ms
Total Duration: 31164 ms

------------
Post-update:
(Note: components listed Adblock plus as enabled, but I didn't get the button in the lower right hand corner, so it's hard to say -- some of these results could be skewed by that -- also, visiting sites with ads that used to be blocked, the ads showed up, so adblock plus did NOT seem to be loaded... sorry guys, should have forseen that)
Time from clicking "GMail" in bookmarks to gmail loaded:
46 seconds

Javascript benchmark test (http://celtickane.com/projects/jsspeed.php):
Try/Catch with errors: 1606 ms (+59 ms)
Layer movement: 5842 ms (+481 ms)
Random number engine: 5038 ms (-771 ms)
Math engine: 8689 ms (-284 ms)
DOM speed: 5530 ms (-1473 ms)
Array functions: 784 ms (+ 170 ms)
String functions: 679 ms (+ 400 ms)
Ajax declaration: 1882 ms (+ 304 ms)
Total Duration: 30050 ms (- 1114 ms)

Overall, the results are pretty over the board. The most drastic change seemed to be in loading gmail (could be a result of adblock plus), and DOM speed (down almost 1.5 seconds!). However, I would say that there does seem to be a general speed improvement. However, I just tried to visit digg and the browser crashed.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Digg seems to work here. However, it doesn't scroll so well. It never did.

EDIT:

With the browser cache set to 4MB, I get these numbers:
Try/Catch with errors: 1521 ms
Layer movement: 5311 ms
Random number engine: 5483 ms
Math engine: 8992 ms
DOM speed: 4742 ms
Array functions: 973 ms
String functions: 288 ms
Ajax declaration: 1886 ms
Total Duration: 29196 ms

EDIT2:
The numbers are very inconsistent in that bench.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Try Google Calendar and Reader please? I tink those ones are usually heavy and slow down the normal microb.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Google Calendar is still kinda slow compared to the desktop, but very usable.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Google Reader works very well now, but.....there is some screen tearing/artifacting after scrolling. if I can remember correctly, I stopped using GR in the past because of lag, but it is totally enjoyable now.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Over all I'm willing to say.... Thanks!.... IMHO Nokia has missed the boat on supplying updates to this app through normal means ... or at least in the last flash update to 2008. Thank you for filling in the gap.

Only thing that doesn't feel snappier is for me at least. The startup. Does anyone know why it takes so bloody long for the home.html page to load? Or what it is that it's updating every time it starts?

Again though qwerty12 ... thanks! Admittedly though ... I'll miss adblock. But the update is worth it.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Such are the pitfalls of bundling applications.

"Updating" is a misnomer, it's actually loading the engine and plugins.

Surely you mean Navi?

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Probably because they dropped the maemo-invoker approach. That's why Opera is starting faster. Don't know why they did it though.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

I do ... I didn't ...

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

It was covered somewhere or the other. I don't recall the reasons, but I recall them sounding like good ones. :D

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Just a small update on my experience: I rebooted last night and that seems to have gotten rid of all the troubles I was having previously: digg now loads, adblock plus loads and shows the icon, and everything seems to be working great! I did another test of loading gmail, which is probably the most accurate test I did and got a time of 54 seconds. So, there is defiantly a speed improvement.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Wow.

Now there is no delay while typing in Gmail.

Thanks.

EDIT: Did anybody notice that internettablettalk.com's home page loads fine now?

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Wow! I didn't even think to check that. You're right though, it used to be unusable... now the slowdown is not that bad.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Google docs also works much better now, though spreadsheet cells are dominated by a scroll bar. The iphone version of facebook as well. Google reader is the most noticeable change for me, what a great improvement. I'll try the iPhone version of google apps tomorrow and report.

The spell check engine underlined misspelled words fine, but I couldn't get it to suggest/change the spelling. When I double taped the word, my browser crashed. Other than that, I'm really impressed.

I’ve also noticed that on AJAX heavy sites, the cpu usage no longer spikes for me. It isn’t exactly quantitative, but I can defiantly see a difference.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Ok, so Adblock AND Flashblock indeed work with this build, BUT not at once.

After installing the SVN, I uninstalled both apps, rebooted, installed one at a time and rebooted once again in between installs.

From what I've seen, ABP does not initialize at the start all the time. I bookmarked the config "chrome://adblockplus/content/config.html" and it seems if I open that and refresh the subscription, it kicks in the ABP.

Ads get blocked, but it seems at the expense of smoother scrolling.

If you want to use FB, just disable ABP or don't install it at all. You will also need to restart the browser TWICE. It will obviously block some of the ads that are flash based (some on this site). And, scrolling speed is not sacrificed.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

I use the greasemonkey plugin most of the time.
Any experience on greasemonkey working with
this svn build?

Thanks in advance for any experience!

Regards,
asys3

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

I suggest you don't use adblock anyways. Adblock is intensive on the NITs. The better way to block ads is via the hosts file + usercss.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Actually, I just tried disabling the icon for adblock and that seems to result in fast/smooth scrolling.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

Yesterday I reflashed my N810 and the first thing I did was to upgrade the browser.

Now, I am trying to install other applications and find this problem: I cannot install python2.5-gpsbt without removing microb-eal, ooso-browser, osso-software-version, tablet-browser-controls, tablet-browser-default-plugin and tablet-browser-ui first.

How should I do the python2.5-gpsbt? How do I reinstall those other apps? Simply by executing 'apt-get install microb-eal', etc.?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Microb-engine SVN build
 

What's the complete apt output, it'll help pin down the culprit. At initial guess, it sounds like a bug in python2.5-gpsbt in that it's over-specific and over-wide in its list of dependencies.