Does the pyclient really need libbrowsernode?

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1

Hi:

Sorry if I’m being obtuse or dense, but on the 1.3 client (and 1.2) I just remd out the call to load libbrowsernode and "it seemed"
to function just as expected (using very complex layouts that include media, anmated text, rss feeds and the like).
It ‘seemed’ to work regardles of whether I run.sh under a DesktopManager/WindowManager or just straight into a vt via .xinitrc
Of course, libavg is working as expected, just not browsernode/berkelium

All this is being done in a test/dev env and before attempting production I am trying to upgrade from 1.3->1.4.0->1.6.4
(linux only) and the libbrowsernode that came w/1.4 is also throwing errors for undefined symbols (this on oneiric,
but also on 10.4)

I realize that the linux pyclient is on hold and migrating away from browsernode/berkelium but until such time I
need to have a working client. if I have to go the build route so be it; but is it a ‘critical’ dependency for the client?
Or is it contingent on the content being displayed or on how the xibo player is rendered?

I understand that each ubuntu release requires its own .so build but I find it surprising (and disappointing)
that xibo client versions are tied to distro versions (cannot put 1.6.n on 10.4 if so desired). Also sad that,
in all this time, there are not enough iinux users here for someone/anyone to compile and distribute the darn thing
for each and every release. Is there some documentation as to what libbrowsernode does? Is it at the libavg site?
It displays web content - any specific type of web content (HTML5?) for which alternatives can be kludged (in the DOM)?

Xibo is only as good as the underlying OS, IMO, and though not bashing Android or Windows
I just cannot see myself running a non-linux client any more than i can a non-linux server;
insofar as reliability, robustness, security, blah, blah.

But I really like xibo and have invested many hours in groking this application, appreciate the
dedication of this comunity and have high hopes for its future. Just sad to see linux waning
from the posts-list.

2

I am a non-expert on the pyclient, but my understanding is that libbrowsernode is responsible for rendering any and all webcontent in the player. It is the bridge between libavg and the browser which renders the web content.

The portability (or lack of) and flakiness of this component is one of the principle reasons we have discontinued any further developed into the pyclient.

That is not to say we aren’t interested in supporting Linux players in the future (and indeed retiring the windows player for something cross platform).

Discussion around this can be found here