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GNOME Web Browser is Adding a Reader Mode (omgubuntu.co.uk)

Posted by msmash on from the up-next dept.

An anonymous reader writes: An experimental reader mode will ship in the next version of GNOME Web, aka Epiphany. The feature is already available to try in the latest development builds of the GTK Webkit-based web browser, released this week as part of the GNOME 3.29.3 milestone. Reader mode (also known as "reader view") is a toggle option that strips a web page down to its bare text. All bespoke styling, background images, buttons, branding and page ephemera is removed. You get a distraction-free, text version of a web page. Because reader mode use its own custom .css to present web content it is (sometimes) possible to adjust a page's text size, background color, and/or layout for improved readability. There's no indication (yet) of customisation options being available in GNOME Web's version.

7 of 65 comments (clear)

  1. Re:really? by ArchieBunker · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I just learned gnome has its own fucking virtual filesystem for things like removable drives. That is something the OS should be handling not your goddamn window manager.

    --
    Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
  2. Re:what? :)) by jfdavis668 · · Score: 2

    I have been using GNOME for a long time, and didn't know it had a browser.

  3. Re:I don't get reader mode by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Centers text, omits cruft, enlarged font. And in most instances gets the full text of an article behind a paywall.

  4. Need a Windows version by jfdavis668 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sounds so good, they should port it to Windows.

  5. I want side-by-side split-pane browsing by johannesg · · Score: 2

    What I really want in a browser is this: I want the window to be split horizontally into two panes. The left-hand pane contains a site, such as the Slashdot frontpage. Clicking on a link opens whatever you click on in the right-hand pane, replacing what was already there. It would let you skim articles quickly without opening an ungodly number of tabs.

    I suppose I would also be ok with decreasing memory usage per tab, but I guess that ship sailed long ago...

  6. Of course it would by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Gnome developers are constantly thinking of new ways of needlessly using all the resources available in your system.

  7. what's it called? by 4im · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Stripping bare to text? Might just use one of the classics, like w3m, links, lynx.

    Or while we're at it, telnet to port 80, pipe through openssl as neccesary?

    No kidding though, I still regularly use w3m from the command line to circumvent "funny" JavaScript stuff used to block access if you visit a site "too often" (pay after limited use news sites), or just plain avoid all those pesky ads especially with pop-in video and such.

    For you web developers out there, this is also a rather healthy test of your websites - if it won't properly deliver content in such a text browser, they will also suck from a search engine perspective, and probably from the usability side too. Obvious exemptions for picture or video oriented websites.