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Vlad

Vlad Gnome and Apple share some design principles, so I think veering towards the Gnome technologies would result in a more cohesive experience for Orion overall 🙂

        While I agree that since Gnome Web is likely the best base, it is essential to ensure that it works and looks good across other desktop environments. It is unfortunately one thing that libadwaita is not great at. Gnome Web does a solid job of this, but it is not true of all GTK/Gnome apps that use libadwaita, especially when used on QT based DEs like KDE, which like Gnome is a huge user base.

          Casting my vote for Gnome and WebKit. I too avoid all things chromium. I'd love to see and enable more competition in the browser space.

          I'm a fan of Kagi, and I'd like to be able to add another privacy friendly option into my tool set. Google/Chrome moved away from what originally drew many of us in from the early 2000's. Firefox is having controversy stir yet again, and they love telemetry, which was OK when it's only about making the product better. Removal of the promise to never sell your data from the TOS isn't going over well in some spaces.

          clintre I would also like to see a QT version but GNOME I think overall has more users. Plus GNOME Web already exists as an example since it also uses WebKit. KDE Plasma developers have made it so GTK apps don't look too bad when running with Plasma. Obviously they aren't native looking like other QT apps but it doesn't look so out of place like QT on GNOME.

              DankeBrutus Agree, I think it is the best choice. The Gnome apps in general are fine it is more the libadwaita that causes some issues. I have to deal on the dev side with it from time to time.

                I'm late to the party, just found this thread today...but between hating chromium, being disillusioned by mozilla, and loving Kagi search as a linux user I'm super stoked that this is happening.

                  4 days later

                  I also vote for WebKit on Linux. I became a lifetime subscriber to Orion+ after reading this announcement and also after Mozilla's recent privacy policy changes to Firefox. (I don't know how to get the Orion+ badge to show up on my avatar.)

                  I am personally making a transition to using Linux as my daily driver, so this is really great news.

                    Looking forward to testing it. My business already tests software for our clients. This is actually one I will be excited to test.

                    Thanks for the update @Vlad

                      One feature I hope to see, is the option to move the window decorations to the left like on proper macos as its how I use kde linux today. I would also pay extra to get global menu support like you have on macos since GTK 4 and 5 don't really support it. As its an accessibility plus for when you have limited mobility or are blind an need a screen reader to work.

                      *Edit - I don't know if its possible, to just use non KDE QT and have webkit work? As linux needs real webkit and to a lesser extent windows.
                      If anything using gtk3 and not 4 or libadwaita we would be able to theme it to fit our desktops or at least all i really need is a breeze theme that takes my systems colors. I don't like gtks implementation of client side decorations personally but, would make a exception here or it could be like firefox an give you the option.

                      I would also be up for a kickstarter or any of the other funding sites. Maybe stretch goals for the things I've listed or others. Even if not ready day one launch.

                      I use Orion on iOS an love it and can't wait to take it for a spin on linux since i use that most of the time. but if it is libadwaita or blink I will pass on it. But I would be more then happy to still support the project like I do with kagi.

                      Is it possible to get a picture of a mock up of ow they both might look.

                      Hello, came here after seeing the post on OMG! Ubuntu! I would prefer Gnome/WebKit. I personally use Linux full time as my daily driver. Use Chrome but I know Webkit has advantages.

                      Regarding the open source aspect, I could be on the minority but I personally dont mind paying for software that is Linux compatible, Heck, Steam and the games arent open source.

                      Looking forward to it, would pay for the life tiime license once releases.

                        Even though I’m a KDE user and dislike GNOME, I think this should be WebKit based. If that means GTK, so be it. If anything, I’d push to avoid libadwaita because it doesn’t play well with other DEs. That said, no matter what is picked, I'm looking forward to testing this!

                        7 days later
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                        Dev update: We have decided the direction to be Webkit GTK with libadwaita for the most native look possible.

                          Vlad Libadwaita is not a native look on anything but Gnome. GTK by itself works fine across the different environments. Libadwaita just about ruins any chance of native look outside of Gnome. We have dealt with this on many dev projects.

                            Yeah, native GTK would be better. Ghostty (a terminal emulator) recently hit version 1 and within weeks, had moved away from Libadwaita due to it looking terrible on anything other than Gnome.