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For the first time in years, someone is building a web browser from scratch:
For more than two decades, building a new web browser from scratch has been practically unheard of. But a small company called Ekioh has its reasons.
The Cambridge, U.K.-based company is developing a browser called Flow, and unlike the vast majority of browsers that have arrived in recent years, it's not based on Google's Chromium or Apple's WebKit open-source code. Instead, Flow is starting with a blank slate and building its own rendering engine. Its goal is to make web-based apps run smoothly even on cheap microcomputers such as the Raspberry Pi.
There's a reason companies don't do this anymore: Experts say building new browsers isn't worth the trouble when anyone can just modify the work that Apple and Google are doing. But if Flow succeeds, it could rethink the way we browse the web and open the door to cheaper gadgets. That at least seems like a goal worth pursuing.
"It's a huge task, but if you want something which is very small and very fast, you typically can't start with one of the other engines," says Stephen Reeder, Ekioh's commercial director.
(Score: 2) by looorg on Wednesday March 17 2021, @01:25PM (1 child)
I would think this is the case, if Apple/Google/Facebook etc notice that this product is taking off they'll just buy it. They are each already buying probably hundreds of companies a year -- some get merged into their product line and some just goes away. So the question is if they are just going to buy it to scrap it or if they'll buy it to use it. While in theory we would all like small and fast software it probably won't contain all their telemetry and spying features they need to satisfy their advertisers (ie their real customers).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 17 2021, @02:03PM
I would guess FB might want to get this one, just as a shield against the other two.
As much as I hate FB, I would prefer this end to either of the others getting it.