T43 slow browsing with xp

[Hans Gruber]

My opinion on the T43. Use either Win XP, Linux Mint or some form of Linux as an OS. You need to have 2GB of ram and a 2Ghz processor and discrete graphics to make it a functional everyday user. The myth is that XP is not secure. Microsoft spent a decade patching and fixing XP. It was their first OS that was solid.

[Omineca]

On my P3 and P4 machines (running Debian linux) I installed an extension in Firefox to allow me to change the user agent string (so that the browser claims to be a different browser). I entered a custom string for a BlackBerry Bold 9900 (find one via Google). Any older BlackBerry model will do, because in the BlackBerry 7 and prior OS versions, youtube video gets kicked out to an external player, at a relatively low quality. This behaviour will be replicated by the laptop. It works with a lot of other video sites as well.

Of course, browsing mobile sites is much quicker too, and you always have the option of switching to the default user agent string when you need the full desktop site (which will take forever to load).

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[dr_st]

On my P3 and P4 machines (running Debian linux) I installed an extension in Firefox to allow me to change the user agent string (so that the browser claims to be a different browser).

On a side topic: Pale Moon has this feature included by default, and further allows to specify a different UA string for different websites. Because it is simply impossible for a non-mainstream browser to work otherwise; websites sniff the UA, and decide who you are and what you can do based solely on that - if you are not one of the 'mainstream', they will simply decide not to support you.

[Omineca]

On a side topic: Pale Moon has this feature included by default, and further allows to specify a different UA string for different websites. Because it is simply impossible for a non-mainstream browser to work otherwise; websites sniff the UA, and decide who you are and what you can do based solely on that - if you are not one of the 'mainstream', they will simply decide not to support you.

I'll have to give that a try. I like the idea of being able to specify different user agents for different sites. The iPhone user agent is great for non-video sites.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[kfzhu1229]

Also don't forget about ad blocker/javascript stopper!
In my opinion, I don't care too much about speeds as long as it gets its jobs done without annoying heating. With my T43p and Windows 10 (PM 780, 2GB RAM and 160GB Hitachi 5400RPM IDE), it completely satisfies as getting work done. As for YouTube, I have no problems with 720p30 (I also tried T43 with X300 before and it drops some frames in the beginning but works fine afterwards). One of the upsides of Windows 10 everybody has to admit is fingerprint integration. Windows 10 comes with almost all of the features you need out of a fingerprint sensor right out of the box, and it is instant (unlike the Access IBM/ThinkVantage fingerprint utility where you have to wait for around 10 seconds for it to load every time you boot up your computer), plus the fact that now you can use your fingerprint sensor to replace passwords, which is something only MacBook Pro 2016 with touchbar can do on the apple side!
As of T43p, it is not like even close to horrible enough that google.com won't load anymore! Some programs like Spotify do take some time to start, but once they are started, they work just fine! It is a good way to practice your patience. One more thing, stability is not an issue for my T43p, it has been VERY stable in Windows (I have tried 2000, XP, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and the least stable ones out of the bunch are XP and 8 where as for other versions I got zero bluescreen without obvious reasons such as loose/broken RAM stick or wrong drivers).

[jaspen-meyer]

...an extension in Firefox to allow me to change the user agent string

in Firefox, go to about:config
add a new 'string' named 'general.useragent.override'
and give it a value of your new useragent.

[Omineca]

in Firefox, go to about:config
add a new 'string' named 'general.useragent.override'
and give it a value of your new useragent.

Nice! Every extension you can get rid of speeds things up a little.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[shicky256]

If you use Linux, one way to improve youtube browsing is by using Mpv and youtube-dl. Simply install the two (I recommend getting youtube-dl from the official site rather than your distro's package manager since you know it's up to date) and then save this script as /usr/local/bin/youtube (or whatever):

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash
mpv --framedrop=vo --cache 8192 --cache-initial 410 $(youtube-dl -gf 18 $1)

Once you do that, you can install the Firefox add-on "open with" (meant for testing webpages with other browsers, but this works too) and configure it to allow you to open any link with the script.

[Omineca]

Also don't forget about ad blocker/javascript stopper!
In my opinion, I don't care too much about speeds as long as it gets its jobs done without annoying heating. With my T43p and Windows 10 (PM 780, 2GB RAM and 160GB Hitachi 5400RPM IDE), it completely satisfies as getting work done. As for YouTube, I have no problems with 720p30 (I also tried T43 with X300 before and it drops some frames in the beginning but works fine afterwards). One of the upsides of Windows 10 everybody has to admit is fingerprint integration. Windows 10 comes with almost all of the features you need out of a fingerprint sensor right out of the box, and it is instant (unlike the Access IBM/ThinkVantage fingerprint utility where you have to wait for around 10 seconds for it to load every time you boot up your computer), plus the fact that now you can use your fingerprint sensor to replace passwords, which is something only MacBook Pro 2016 with touchbar can do on the apple side!
As of T43p, it is not like even close to horrible enough that google.com won't load anymore! Some programs like Spotify do take some time to start, but once they are started, they work just fine! It is a good way to practice your patience. One more thing, stability is not an issue for my T43p, it has been VERY stable in Windows (I have tried 2000, XP, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and the least stable ones out of the bunch are XP and 8 where as for other versions I got zero bluescreen without obvious reasons such as loose/broken RAM stick or wrong drivers).

I use Adblock Plus, Flashblock, Flashstopper (to stop video autoplay), and NoScript. I'm sure I pay a bit of an overhead price for all of the extensions, but cutting out all of the unnecessary video elements and javascript makes quite a difference.

[Omineca]

If you use Linux, one way to improve youtube browsing is by using Mpv and youtube-dl. Simply install the two (I recommend getting youtube-dl from the official site rather than your distro's package manager since you know it's up to date) and then save this script as /usr/local/bin/youtube (or whatever):

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash
mpv --framedrop=vo --cache 8192 --cache-initial 410 $(youtube-dl -gf 18 $1)

Once you do that, you can install the Firefox add-on "open with" (meant for testing webpages with other browsers, but this works too) and configure it to allow you to open any link with the script.

Another interesting technique to try. I might give this a shot on my R500.

[micrex22]

My opinion on the T43. Use either Win XP, Linux Mint or some form of Linux as an OS. You need to have 2GB of ram and a 2Ghz processor and discrete graphics to make it a functional everyday user. The myth is that XP is not secure. Microsoft spent a decade patching and fixing XP. It was their first OS that was solid.

Another myth is that XP is no longer supported--Microsoft is *forced* to support it for some environments which is why they roll out those POS/government patches. They of course don't want consumers using those updates to keep running their XP installations.

The T43 also runs OS/2 Warp with Warpzilla very well; and it's not too often you can get machines that can natively run it out of the box.

[Shredder11]

If you use Linux, one way to improve youtube browsing is by using Mpv and youtube-dl. Simply install the two (I recommend getting youtube-dl from the official site rather than your distro's package manager since you know it's up to date) and then save this script as /usr/local/bin/youtube (or whatever):

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash
mpv --framedrop=vo --cache 8192 --cache-initial 410 $(youtube-dl -gf 18 $1)

Once you do that, you can install the Firefox add-on "open with" (meant for testing webpages with other browsers, but this works too) and configure it to allow you to open any link with the script.

I use various video players including SMPlayer and SMTube. The latter can be configured to launch other players and also using parameters, along with youtube-dl although I do not know how to get MPC-HC player to work yet; it definitely will work I just do not know the correct parameters to feed it for use with YouTube videos. The reason I wish to use MPC-HC is because it is the only player that works with my Broadcom BCM970015 video decoder card. It's a shame I cannot get VLC player to work with this card, even though it shows up in the Tools -> Plugins and extensions -> Plugins -> Crystal HD hardware video decoder. In this settings window it shows "Capability = Decoder" and, "Score = 0". There is a file, "libcrystalhd_plugin.dll" in the Codec folder within VLC. I'd love to get this working properly because launching YouTube videos is dead easy in VLC.

[dr_st]

Another myth is that XP is no longer supported--Microsoft is *forced* to support it for some environments which is why they roll out those POS/government patches. They of course don't want consumers using those updates to keep running their XP installations.

It's not a myth. XP is really not supported and hasn't been for a long time. Heck, even Vista is not supported anymore. A couple of security patches here and there (which especially in the case of POS XP may pertain to specific areas of the OS) do not constitute "support". It is still hopelessly behind in terms of compatibility and usability, and nothing will change that. Neither will anyone fix any bugs that are not immediate security flaws.

[micrex22]

It's not a myth. XP is really not supported and hasn't been for a long time. Heck, even Vista is not supported anymore. A couple of security patches here and there (which especially in the case of POS XP may pertain to specific areas of the OS) do not constitute "support". It is still hopelessly behind in terms of compatibility and usability, and nothing will change that. Neither will anyone fix any bugs that are not immediate security flaws.

Nope. Just like how HP, Intel and Oracle are forced into supporting Itanium, Microsoft is still forced (or generously paid) into supporting their software for government users and large businesses that can't switch over just yet, or require the system operating for one reason or another. Cost is not always the problem.

You can even do a basic google search and find many instances of this such as the Canadian government, U.K. government and U.S. navy still getting contracts from Microsoft for XP support:
http://www.computerworld.com/article/29 ... ws-xp.html
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... lic-sector

It looks like the government contracts were extended for 2015 (not sure if they're still on that) but the U.S. Navy is probably still paying for support.

Point is, Microsoft still has to maintain support agreements, keep the XP activation servers up, and a host of other things.

[dr_st]

Microsoft is still forced (or generously paid) into supporting their software for government users and large businesses that can't switch over just yet, or require the system operating for one reason or another.

Again - what exactly do you mean by 'support'? What is the meaning of any of these 'support contracts' to you, as the end-user? Is there any added value other than "activation servers are up"?

You seem to suggest that the word 'supported' has some magical value in itself, and that if Microsoft has some limited support agreement with some obscure entity somewhere, it somehow automatically makes the OS better to use than if they didn't.

I'll grant you that it might make it marginally more secure against some specific attacks that happened to have been reported and covered by whatever particular support agreement might be in place, but that's all I can see, and that isn't much.

Not to mention the fact that some of these exclusive support contracts may involve patches delivered privately which are never made available to you personally via Windows Update or otherwise.