Optimizing for Text-Mode Browsers

9 hours ago

The author uses text-mode browsers like w3m and Lynx for their speed and minimal resource usage.
The site was redesigned to optimize for text-mode and old browsers, prioritizing simplicity and direct access to content.
Issues with the old design included excessive scrolling past tags, bulky article lists, and unclear publish dates.
Fixes involved removing branding from most pages, moving the tag list to the end, and simplifying the article list by grouping by year and aligning dates.
Syntax highlighting was implemented using <b> and <i> tags for compatibility with text-mode and older graphical browsers.
Dark mode was added using CSS color-scheme and transparency for automatic light/dark adaptation.
The redesign benefits older browsers and works well with CSS disabled or in historical browsers like NCSA Mosaic.
Compromises include relying on default browser colors, which may affect contrast, and using non-semantic tags for the tag list.
The author views this as an experimental project on the Indie Web, allowing for personal creativity without broad practicality.
The theme will be integrated into the luasmith static site generator and is open for others to use or adapt.

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