20190208-text_browser_wars.txt
So I've been using mainly 3 different internet browsers in the CLI-
lynx, links2, and elinks (4 if you count UMN gopher). As to how little
they differ in terms of text presentation, I've found that they
actually differ quite a bit in terms of use cases.

Lynx- My go-to browser. It does Gopher and WWW, which is unique as far
as I'm aware. It does vim binding. It has an insane config file (a
good thing) with lots of ways to plug into other CLI programs (I have
FBI set up for image viewing and VLC (using DirectFB) for videos). I'm
running version 2.8.9, which is the version Linux Mint installs when
you run `apt-get install lynx`. It's also available on Windows, which
is actually what started my fall down the CLI rabbit hole years ago.
2.8.9 unfortunately has issues displaying republic.c.s, which is a
shame. I'm not sure if it's a local config option or the UTF-8 address
(I've had issues with Gopherpedia not displaying the correct titles if
UTF-8 characters are in the title). Most likely the latter, but that's
why I have `gopher`. I have to hack around, usually with the User
Agent, to get compatible pages if they don't work, but I've found
`Android/Lynx` to be a good catch-all for the most part.

Links2- Aside from the ability to natively display pages and frames in
the GUI without using a desktop environment, it's pretty good. It only
does WWW, and it's able to handle new attachments on SDF Webmail
(unlike Lynx). The lack of remapping of keys (mainly arrows over hjkl)
is annoying, though. Still one of the better browsers and the GUI
version supporting images from a TTY is something completely unique to
Links2 in my experience. It has quite a fiew different config options
and a proper menu for setting those up wthout a config file (looking
at you, Lynx). There are tabs and background downloads, both of which
are sorely lacking in Lynx. It has some support for CSS, although I
have mine turned off.

Elinks- I'm torn. Elinks AFAIK is a slightly buggier fork of Links
with some real cool bonuses: the major one being access to Youtube
(mobile). I've never seen a CLI browser access Youtube and go past the
Javascript warning. I imagine it's as simple as a UA trick, but still,
it's nice. It's also a bit quirky with downloads and I haven't quite
gotten the hang of image viewing plugins with it, but that Youtube
case is an excellent one. It also has key remapping so that's another
plus.

Gopher- Only does gopher, but does it well. If not for Lynx's Gopher
support, I would not use it. It's still a historic piece of software
and while it has some weird keybindings, still useful for viewing
gopherholes.

All in all, I use those in order from most use to least use. When I
need Javascript (unfortunately necessary for things like Hulu, online
banking, streaming Youtube without downloading the video, etc.) I go
to Vivaldi, which is a GUI browser and a spiritual successor to Opera
12.xx. I can't tell you how much I loved Opera back before it went
Chromium-based. It had a lot of configurability out of the box and
custom buttons and all sorts of goodies a web dev could use. But
anyway, Vivaldi is (ironically Chromium-based) a very good successor.
Panels are your friend.

Which CLI browsers do you use?