Browsing via linux server?

[P.O.]

Hello,
Although I use OS9 for musicmaking, OSX 10.4 on G4 Macs is the platform I use daily. Since the end of maintenance on TenFourFox, internet browsing has become more and more impossible.... When I really need it to work I use Firefox on a Ubuntu laptop.
It works very well, to the point I started thinking: would it be possible to do my browsing on my G4 Macs via Ubuntu Firefox running on a local server? I would really love to keep using my G4 Macs: they're perfect for everything EXCEPT internet browsing.

[GaryN]

10-4 works anywhere from so-so to poorly depending on what and where you're browsing.
If you haven't yet tried (and it would seem you haven't) Interweb PPC… you should.
It is 10-4 but with a few bits of unnecessary overhead stripped out and fairly current security updates.
It looks and feels like 10-4 but faster.

https://github.com/wicknix/InterWebPPC/releases

[P.O.]

Thanks fot the tip, Gary!
I did not know about Interweb PPC.
So I downloaded it and gave it a spin. I must say I am not convinced: first it does not import any of my bookmarks, so I am left with nothing to start with. On general browsing it felt slower than my regular TFF, and it blanked on some sites. On the Aliexpress site it choked on unresponsive script just like my regular TFF does... Not much of an improvement, and certainly not the level of performance I get from Ubuntu FireFox.
At this point I'm looking much more for compatibility than speed.

I'm really curious about the concept that I'm putting forward: is it at all possible/realistic ?

[IIO]

there is probably no "direct" connection (such as you can have for nntp or torrent clients in browsers), but you could simply use something like VNC.

i do that sometimes so that i dont have to change seat for browsing.

with a proper desktop remote program you can use the latest FF windows 10/11, to transfer a downloaded file to the mac it is 2 clicks more.
 

[P.O.]

OK IIO, that's a start! I'll be investigating VNC (I know nothing on networking, which always appeared as witchcraft to me...)

So: I want to access the Ubuntu computer that will run Firefox (the "server"), with my OSX 10.4 PPC computer. It could run Chicken , or the OSX built-in "Viewer". right?
Does Ubuntu have such tools for server? I'd suppose so. if not, any suggestions?

I'm sure it's not easy as that, there must be innumerable pitfalls... but a guy has to start somewhere!

[IIO]

i can only guess... i would say most modern linux distros have VNC built-in?

the screen sharing in 10.4. works, but looks terrible. only since 10.5 it makes a proper picture.

myself i use KDX, which is admittedly a quite nerdy tool which you first have to understand a bit before you can make good use of it.
https://preterhuman.net/gethotlinekdx.php
works across 9, X, win and linux. (OSX intel is wine bottled and therefore lacks the desktop remote function)

my main use case for desktop remote is PC-only audio programs and winrar. for browsing it is fine to get up and move over^^

[P.O.]

Hotline??!
jeez, I used that SOOO long ago on OS9...

[rvense]

X11, the display thing used on most Linux distributions, is actually available from Apple for all versions of OS X (maybe they've dropped it, but it was there for Tiger). It's called "XQuartz" I think.

X11 has a feature called "forwarding", which allows you to run a programme on one machine and the UI on another. I don't think it will work terribly well for e.g. video, and you will get a very unmac-like user interface (the menu bar will be inside the window, for example), plus downloads will go to the remote machine. I'm not sure it'll be a good experience, but it's something you can try if you like.