Browsing the Internet on SymbOS
Browsing the modern Internet from an 8-bit computer is no small feat. SymZilla was originally developed by SymbOS’s Prodatron as a document viewer. My contribution was to add networking and support for displaying simplified HTML pages, helping bring web browsing to SymbOS on classic machines.
The browser relies on GB-proxy, a companion proxy designed to reduce the complexity of today’s web. GB-proxy retrieves pages on behalf of the client, handles SSL/TLS connections, strips pages down to a simpler form of HTML, and shrinks and converts images into a format SymbOS can display. This lets the browser concentrate on presenting a practical, lightweight version of the web within the limits of the platform.
The result is a remarkably capable browsing experience across the SymbOS machines, including MSX and Amstrad CPC systems.
Screenshots#
SymbOS on MSX#
SymbOS on Amstrad CPC#
