LYNX-DEV Klaus

[Philip Webb]

it's time to start getting a bit concerned about Klaus (without panicking).
971101-7 he posted  15 times ; then messages were technically interrupted;
971113-1202 he posted  26 times .  the vast majority of messages were
replies to queries from others covering a wide area of Lynxities
& full of his usual vigor & erudition; there was no sign of any impairment
in his abilities or him.  971124 he announced he had put out  ac97 .

however, 971122 he wrote:

Subject: LYNX-DEV Next release, status of development code
   
On Wed, 19 Nov 1997, T.E.Dickey wrote:
> > As I understand it, 2.7.1 is the latest release of lynx.
> > When is the next release expected?
> I dunno - I'm waiting for people to get together.

From my perspective, I would like to see the development code become
something else than the "develoment code" - maybe Lynx 2.8 - soon,
more concretely: before Christmas.  Reasons:

 - It's overdue anyway
 - I'll be away from (a few days before) Christmas on,
   and then likely won't have any (easy) net access for some time.

I have less time right now for lynx than I used to have
-- had to move this week -- ,
but here is a list of things I still would like to do:

[PW] list deleted to avoid distraction: [104] in HTML version of Archive.

If you have sent bug reports for other things (in the devel code)
you think may have got lost or simple patches you think should have been
included or have detailed reports for one of the above topics
that may throw some new light on them, please consider (re)sending them now.

P.S. some other things that I think are important, but probably should
wait (unless someone volunteers to do this now in a short time):
- "BarryScript", - localized messages, - form-based Options Screen

[PW again] my point in quoting this is to show that Klaus expected
to be away for some time starting c 971220, but not earlier,
& fully intended to play a central role in release of 2-8 before then.
it wasn't a question of moving: he had already just done that.

971201 Klaus wrote:

Subject: Re: LYNX-DEV Lynx "release" page and pre-release of v2.8
   
On Tue, 2 Dec 1997, Nelson Henry Eric wrote:
> > it start being updated now, to ensure a smooth transition.
> > Also, in the past it was customary up offer a "pre-release"
> > on the "release" page for maximum testing and final tweaks
> > before the actual release.
> > The "a few days before Christmas" target is not far away
> Sorry, Klaus, but I really feel I, too, need to prod you on this one.
> ==> Please announce the "pre-release", and address bug reports _only_.
> Anything else stick in the wish-list.  You can polish up the code
> when you get back and are resettled again next year, or whenever.

I have started <URL:[11]http://sol.slcc.edu/lynx/release2-8.html>.
It's obviously not complete, but at least it is a place to point to.
(Scott should decide whether that's OK as a semi-permanent location.)

The summary of changes there is off the top of my head,
just some changes that came to mind that might be important to a lot of users.
I have probably overlooked a lot of things;
if there is something you feel should be listed there, please speak up.

There currently is no "pre-release" code set different from the usual
"development code".  The changes that come to mind to make the devel-code
-> Lynx 2.8 switch are basically replacing the string 2.7.1 (or 2-7-1)
in a lot of places, an renaming "CHANGES.new" to "CHANGES".
(Is there something I have overlooked, Henry?  Some SIMPLEDIR changes
remaining to be done?  You haven't updated SIMPLEDIR.gz in a while.)

[PW again] obviously Klaus expected to continue taking part in things
for a few more days at least.

there was  1  more brief message on another topic at 971202 0125 CST,
ie very late the same waking day.  since then he has vanished.

Finger gives:

[tezcat.com]
Login name: kweide                      In real life: Klaus Weide
Directory: /home4/kweide                Shell: /usr/local/bin/bash
Klaus Weide (kweide) is not presently logged in.
Last seen at xochi on Tue Dec  2 15:49:53 1997 from kweide.tezcat.co
New mail since Wed Dec 31 16:47:10 1997.
Has not read mail for  0:51:18.
No plan.

[PW again] if i read that right, he's not been logged in since later 971202,
but has been reading mail as late as today.  NB one problem the last time was
that lynx-dev communications were not functioning correctly for him.

Klaus is obviously very intelligent & well-organised.
whatever has happened to him must be very sudden, utterly compelling
& something he doesn't really want to discuss with the Big Wide World.
one natural explanation is that he has been suffering from a physical ailment
for which he was expecting to enter hospital,
where he would have very limited access to computers;
or possibly he has a child or parent who is ill & far away,
whom he has had to go & visit.
whatever the exact cause, it was so sudden & premature
he didn't have a chance to correct the impression he left with us 971201.

if it's a sick parent or a business crisis (eg) far away somewhere,
Klaus will no doubt be back in a few weeks & 2-8 will follow soon after.
if it's Klaus himself, however, who has been knocked over by something,
his return may well be longer delayed & somewhat problematical.

that's the background against which everyone should be assessing
the course of Lynx development over the next few months.
besides that, Klaus himself richly deserves the friendly concern
of everyone associated with lynx-dev.

-- 
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