LinuxQuestions.org - What is debian sensible browser?

I have two browsers installed (three including lynx), those being Chrome and Firefox. My preference is Firefox, but often Chrome gets defaulted to (to digress: I only installed Chrome because some sites require a later flash, which only Chrome has, but, frankly, I rarely care to look at these awful flash things anyway). So, if you find another browser is sometimes getting defaulted to when you open a website link via some program or another, then check the program itself for its defaults under either "options" or "preferences" and listed often as "external programs". Also, if using xfce, via the "Applications" button (the "Start" button in Windows speak) check Settings/Preferred Applications/Internet/Web Browser, and select the one you wish to use.

If you only have Chrome installed, then the "debian sensible browser" will be Chrome. It may open with different view settings than you're used to, though. Check the menu tab to identify what browser it is. Again, if you've only installed Chrome, then it will be Chrome.

Not that it's particularly relevant, but the "Debian Sensible Browser" is just what is considered the default. The program sensible-browser is actually only a script that calls up an installed browser. It's not a browser itself. See script below:

Code:

mark@mark-OptiPlex-755:~$ cat /usr/bin/sensible-browser

#!/bin/sh



URL="$1"



if test -n "$BROWSER"; then

    OLDIFS="$IFS"

    IFS=:

    for i in $BROWSER; do

        case "$i" in

            (*sensible-browser*)

            printf 'Using sensible-browser in $BROWSER makes no sense.\n' >&2

            exit 1

            ;;

            (*%s*)

            :

            ;;

            (*)

            i="$i %s"

            ;;

        esac

        IFS="$OLDIFS"

        cmd=$(printf "$i\n" "$URL")

        $cmd && exit 0

    done

    printf 'None of the browsers in $BROWSER worked!\n' >&2

    exit 1

fi



if test -n "$DISPLAY"; then

    if test -n "$GNOME_DESKTOP_SESSION_ID"; then

        if test -x /usr/bin/gnome-www-browser; then

            exec /usr/bin/gnome-www-browser ${URL:+"$URL"}

        elif test -x /usr/bin/x-www-browser; then

            exec /usr/bin/x-www-browser ${URL:+"$URL"}

        elif test -x /usr/bin/gnome-terminal && test -x /usr/bin/www-browser; then

            exec /usr/bin/gnome-terminal -e "/usr/bin/www-browser ${URL:+\"$URL\"}"

        fi

    fi

    if test -x /usr/bin/x-www-browser; then

        exec /usr/bin/x-www-browser ${URL:+"$URL"}

    elif test -x /usr/bin/x-terminal-emulator && test -x /usr/bin/www-browser; then

        exec /usr/bin/x-terminal-emulator -e /usr/bin/www-browser ${URL:+"$URL"}

    fi

elif test -x /usr/bin/www-browser; then

    exec /usr/bin/www-browser ${URL:+"$URL"}

fi



printf "Couldn't find a suitable web browser!\n" >&2

printf "Set the BROWSER environment variable to your desired browser.\n" >&2

exit 1;

mark@mark-OptiPlex-755:~$

And here's another script, the xfce desktop file "debian-sensible-browser.desktop":

Code:

mark@mark-OptiPlex-755:/usr/share/cups/drv$ cat /usr/share/xfce4/helpers/debian-sensible-browser.desktop

[Desktop Entry]

Version=1.0

Icon=debian

Type=X-XFCE-Helper

Name=Debian Sensible Browser

Name[ar]=متصفح ديبيان

Name[ast]=Debian Sensible Browser

Name[be]=Прадвызначаны Гартач у Debian

Name[bg]=Дебиан Sensible браузър

Name[bn]=ডেবিয়ান সংবেদনশীল ব্রাউজার

Name[ca]=Navegador sensible de Debian

Name[cs]=Debian Sensible Browser

Name[da]=Debian Sensible Browser

Name[de]=Debians voreingestellter Webbrowser

Name[el]=Φυλλομετρητής Sensible Debian

Name[en_GB]=Debian Sensible Browser



[snipped]



StartupNotify=false

X-XFCE-Binaries=sensible-browser;

X-XFCE-Category=WebBrowser

X-XFCE-Commands=%B;

X-XFCE-CommandsWithParameter=%B "%s";

mark@mark-OptiPlex-755:/usr/share/cups/drv$

So, the xfce script "debian sensible browser" from the desktop file is calling up the script "sensible-browser" which in turn decides which script it will default to (IE, gnome-www-browser or x-www-browser, etc.) These latter scripts theoretically point to the browser which the user him/herself has expressed a preference for, supposedly. Again, then, it's best to make these preferences known to the system via the ways I described.