never leave the terminal
About this video
NetworkChuck tries Links, a text-only web browser that runs entirely inside the terminal, installing and exploring it live for the first time. On Ubuntu under WSL he installs it with apt, launches it by typing its name, and learns navigation by trial and error: up/down arrows move, right arrow follows a link, left arrow goes back, G opens a URL prompt, and O opens options. He browses his own graphic-heavy site, accepts cookies, and finds an options setting to accept all cookies to avoid repeated prompts, noting the browser renders alt-text descriptions in place of images and blocks ads by default because it cannot load them. He then tests its limits: a sponsor segment for ACI Learning’s ITPro is hard to use because login forms and JavaScript-heavy pages fail, YouTube does not work usefully, and sites like Gmail that require scripts will not work well. He considers a Windows version, rejects it as too old, and concludes Links is a fun occasional tool for simple, text-friendly sites rather than a replacement browser.
Key takeaways
- Install Links on Debian/Ubuntu with apt (dnf on Fedora, pacman on Arch) and launch it by typing links in the terminal
- Navigate with arrow keys: up/down to move, right to follow a link, left to go back, and G to enter a new URL
- Set cookie handling to accept all in Options to avoid being prompted on nearly every page
- A text-only browser cannot handle JavaScript, login forms, or video sites like YouTube and Gmail
- Links suits simple, text-heavy sites and blocks ads by default because it cannot load them
Episode details: published September 6, 2024 · 5:53 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are NetworkChuck’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.
← Previous: IPv6 keeps getting hacked on Windows · Next: I built 24 Websites in 24 Hours →
All NetworkChuck videos · NetworkChuck profile · NetworkChuck on YouTube
