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The most underused browser feature: reader mode

frankgroeneveld.nl

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Re: The most underused browser feature: reader mode

#81

Post by classichasclass »

shandor wrote: post #58

My most wanted feature for Firefox right now is the ability to right-click (or long-press on mobile) the link and choose "Open Link in Reader mode" exactly like they already offer for "open Link in New Private window". I think that would be even more important than the Private shortcut, with the amount of unnecessary crap the websites try to cram on your screen.

I implemented this for TenFourFox and it's a real godsend for certain sites. Meanwhile, there's this, but not Android-compatible: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/reader-view/

Re: The most underused browser feature: reader mode

#82

Post by interpol_p »

opdahl wrote: post #71
dijit wrote: post #11

I think I have to share my incredulation; I always use Reader Mode on Safari iOS: lots of sites are quite literally unreadable otherwise.

Quick tip on Safari iOS Reader View: Click and hold the 'aA' button on the address bar and it will go straight to reader view without you having to go through the menu and selecting it.

And if you tap "Website Settings" from the 'aA' popup (this is iOS 15, not sure where the setting lives in iOS 14, but it's somewhere there too), you can toggle "Use Reader Automatically" for the domain

Re: The most underused browser feature: reader mode

#84

Post by classichasclass »

chrismorgan wrote: post #76

In Firefox this is implemented as about:reader?url=…, and you can use that URL to load reader mode even on pages that aren’t detected as compatible (so that the reader mode toolbar button doesn’t appear). This used be the URL on Firefox for Android as well, but if I recall correctly (I seldom use reader mode) it got changed in the Fenix world so that it’s a moz-extension:// URL.

I used to enter about:reader URLs all the time for pages that Firefox Android wouldn't show the button for. Do you know where the moz-extension:// incantation for this is? I would think it's a constant UUID, so maybe I just need to page through the source.

There really should be an option for "always let me try Reader Mode."

Re: The most underused browser feature: reader mode

#86

Post by classichasclass »

Reader View is excellent on low-spec systems. On TenFourFox you can try any page in Reader View, not just what the browser thinks will work. I also implemented sticky reader view, where going to links stays in reader mode even on different sites until you explicitly leave reader view (see https://tenfourfox.blogspot.com/2020/09/tenfourfox-fpr27b1-a... ) and auto reader view by domain or by domain subpages ( https://tenfourfox.blogspot.com/2021/03/tenfourfox-fpr31b1-a... ). Combined with a right-click to Open in Reader View menu option, this means you can jump right in and spend less time waiting for pages to load on older computers.

Re: The most underused browser feature: reader mode

#87

Post by everdrive »

I use this all the time and it's wonderful! It's not underused here.

A LOT of the time a webpage will be completely broken / filled with ads / javascript / and other useless garbage. One click and I'm in reader mode, and all that junk is gone and I just have nice clean text, and perhaps a couple of images. Makes me wonder if I can set reader mode automatically for certain pages.

Re: The most underused browser feature: reader mode

#88

Post by lowercased »

blunte wrote: post #85

I use it on my phone all the time. It almost makes phone browsing tolerable. It's great for getting rid of Medium crap and other FUBAR sites. Plus it typically makes the text larger, so I can read it without glasses.

same here - it will default to a good size font and high contrast dark mode. i've found myself using it... a lot over the last few months. i picked up a new 12 mini, and as I was developing new habits, this became one of them. if something is more than one screen of text, i reach for reader mode.
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