Re: lynx-dev Lynx is dying !?

[Larry W. Virden, x2487]

From: Pascal Rigaux <address@hidden>

> First of all, this mail isn't a flame at lynx which is my prefered browser.

Thank goodness - think of what the msg would have been if you hated it!

> I really like lynx and am using it everyday for browsing on the net. But for
> browsing on the net you need incremental rendering, caching of the html 
> source,
> background downloading. As far as i understand, most of the lynx users only 
> use

Strange.  I've used lynx literally for years, and have never seen a need for
incremental rendering (but then, I don't go in for long html file sites -
more text then I care to read in a 24x80 window).  Now, caching I might
benefit from occasionally - but about the only time is when I am dealing
with bad html pages.

> it for local files (yes, i know, lynx is really great for that), and that's a
> part of the explanation of why these important net features are not in lynx.

Perhaps - but the real reason is that no one interested in programming these
features into lynx has stepped forward with working code to be incorported
into the programs.

> table support. And although it seems feasible, nothing's included in lynx yet.

Again - that's because there is no team of programmers working on lynx at this
time.

> This mail was written by Jacob Poon. And it seems to be the truth. If 
> something
> as easy as the NEXT_DOC command he asked for in december 96 hasn't been
> ``implemented'' yet, it means that lynx should fork between people wanting to
> keep it the smaller it can, and people wanting more.

Size is basically irrelevant.  Too many people think of lynx in a manner
similar to many other programs - where there is a team of folk developing the
application.  Lynx is not dead - but it is in a holding pattern awaiting the
folk using lynx to get started coding.  Too many people spend more time asking
for new features (which is fine) or 
complaining/griping/flaming/debating/whatever
(and I do not refer to you in this category) than they spend coding new
features into lynx.

Thank goodness for those on this list who have added as many new features
as they have over the past year or so!

> It seems from all this that lynx is stuck. That any addition of features is
> impossible or it'll break a lot of other features. This doesn't surprise me.

Nope - I don't think this is a problem at all.  However, it WILL take folk
who are willing to put their brains to understanding lynx well enough to
add it in.

> Lynx is able to manage a lot of different architectures. It also started long
> ago, and the html specifications have evolved in the meantime. The result of
> this is any major improvement will break a lot of things.

Didn't seem to stop adding things like cookies or the first level style
sheets or color.


> The conclusion of all this is: if you want more than lynx you must rewrite it.
> I've talked about it with some friends and here is the result:

If you are going to 'rewrite it' then will you still have lynx, or something
else?  If something else, then why not look at one of the other browsers to
see if perhaps someone is farther along with the features you want?

> emacs-based to begin with (other interfaces could be added):
>  - ease
>  - you don't have to leave emacs -> cut/paste...
>  - the emacs's windows could be used to display the frames

Hey - this sounds like the emacs web browser that already exists - I suggest
starting with that and adding the features you want to it.  That should
save you a lot of time getting ramped up.

> So that's the project i want to start. A friend of mine wants to do the emacs
> part. Another one is interested by the RENDERER, so am i.

Good luck - be sure to let the emacs folk know what you are working on.

In many cases, folk either are running lynx on machines on which emacs would
be tough to fit, or they don't want the emacs interface.  I suspect they
will continue with the lynx "corpse" as it sits.  If it never gets any more
new features, I suspect I will still be able to use it for the type of
browsing I do for quite a few yrs into the future...
-- 
Larry W. Virden                 INET: address@hidden
<URL:http://www.teraform.com/%7Elvirden/> <*> O- "We are all Kosh."
Unless explicitly stated to the contrary, nothing in this posting should 
be construed as representing my employer's opinions.