Installing "Links" Web browser

Links is a lightweight browser suitable for computers with small amounts of memory and disk space. It is possible to navigate using links with single keystrokes instead of using the mouse. This makes it ideal for small laptops.

Procedure:

1. Install pkg-config
2. Install openssl
3. Install libpng
4. Install libtiff
5. Create a file called openssl.pc.
   If the file /usr/lib/pkgconfig/openssl.pc doesn't exist, create it. It is a text file containing the following:

      prefix=/usr
      exec_prefix=${prefix}
      libdir=${exec_prefix}/lib
      includedir=${prefix}/include
      Name: OpenSSL
      Description: Secure Sockets Layer and cryptography libraries and tools
      Version: 0.9.7b
      Requires: 
      Libs: -L${libdir} -lssl -lcrypto  -ldl
      Cflags: -I${includedir} 

6. Help it find the openssl.pc file needed by pkg-config

      export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/usr/lib/pkgconfig/

7. Help it find pkg-config

      export PKG_CONFIG=/usr/local/bin/pkg-config

8. Run 'configure'

      configure --enable-graphics --enable-javascript

   It should say:

      ---------------------------------------------------------
      Configuration results:
      
      GPM support:            YES
      SSL support:            YES
      Javascript enabled:     YES
      Graphics enabled:       YES
      Graphics drivers:       FB X
      Image formats:          GIF PNG XBM JPEG TIFF
      xterm for OS/2 support: NO
      ---------------------------------------------------------

9. Run 'make'
10. Run 'make install' (as root)

Using Links

Typing 'links' opens blank text window. Typing 'links -g' opens a blank graphics window (which is more desirable).

To do something, type the one-letter commands:

  Esc = menu
  F9 - menu
  g = goto url
  G edit current url and goto result
  b =page up
  / search
  n next match
  s bookmark manager
  S bookmarkmanager
  q quit
  \ toggle source/rendered
  Ins = scroll down
  Del = scroll up
  Up = page up
  Down = page down
  Left = previous page
  Right = next page

If you set the proxy, make sure to specify the port (80), otherwise it gives a "connection refused" error.

Links doesn't handle css and doesn't wrap text around images. But unlike most other browsers, it can read TIFF files without an external plugin.

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