Lightweight default browser for ARM

https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/mobile-lucid-arm-lightweightbrowser

Why does firefox perform poorly on ARM and what should we do about it? * small cache on arm processors * memory usage * availability of plugins * usability (some plugins do not match certain environments such as touchscreens)

Can firefox be optimized for Ubuntu and/or ARM enough to compensate for performance issues?

* Firefox replacements must support (in order of priority):

• quick on ARM
• UNR/touchscreen/small screen/scrolling

• Good/Fast support for JavaScript

• support for Flash
• good extension support (unless it causes more problems)
• Java

Considerations

• memory usage and performance, what happens when opening lots of instances, lots of tabs, etc
• Reponsive upstream

Issues

* which webkit, google vs ubuntu libwebkit?

Review

• midori frustrating to use at times
• epiphany limited but works, functional
  • uses webkit
  • "works" but limited by comparison to firefox
• Konquerer - khtml, huge kde dependencies
• Chromium
  • different user experience from firefox

  • is fast & gtk based

  • uses considerably less memory
  • Theming issues

Notes

• can we improve/optimize firefox/xulrunner? Is there significent improvement gains even possible?
  • opinion not significient opportunity

ACTIONS

• Determine the status of Java applets [and JIT?] on ARM Cortex-A8
• Chromium on Arm performance
• Chromium build issues on armv7
• Mobile team to initially package Chromium
• investigate with desktop team and security team who will own it, and how to handle updates
• upload to archive (Michael Casadevall)
• investigate test suite on arm
• benchmarking over multiple browsers over all supported platforms