Re: LYNX-DEV Linux and curses.

[Duncan Hill]

On Wed, 6 Nov 1996, Klaus Weide wrote:

> It is my understanding that, for reasonable interpretations of the
> word "regular", ncurses now is the regular curses system for Linux.
> All newer Linux versions and distributions should have it, and they
> would have no need for another, non-ncurses, curses library.
> 
> The reason that the "linux" entry in the Makefile exists is probably
> to support older Linux installations which don't have ncurses but
> only an older, now outdated, curses library.  Over time, the current
> "linux-ncurses" should probably become just "linux", and the current
> "linux" should become "linux-oldcurses" (or similar).

Ok..I'm slowly writing a page that explains how those how know a bit 
about unix can compile it, and for those who have no knowledge can get a 
linux build of Lynx.  I may or may not go ahead with this.  Getting room 
is no problem..I think..hey..I work at the place I want the space, so a 
meg or two of ftp space is nothing.  Anyway, whats the vote, do we 
provide binaries for those who can't compile?  

> The main functional difference between the so-called "linux" target
> and the "linux-ncurses" target is that the "linux" binary uses only
> one kind of character attribute (standout mode).  That should of
> course also be possible with the ncurses library, and should depend
> on whether FANCY_CURSES is defined.  So if you want to build such
> a binary with restricted attribute capabilities, it should be
> possible with the ncurses library, just with FANCY_CURSES undefined.
> (But I have not tested it.)
> 
> I don't know if such a restricted binary is useful for anybody who
> can use the fuller ncurses capabilities, so I don't think modifying
> the distributed Makefile for this purpose makes sense.

Agreed.  Remind me here, if I build an a.out binary, does a subsequent 
system have to have the libraries I used?  Excuse my ignorance, but I've 
never learnt...

Duncan Hill
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Student of the Barbados Community College
Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum - I think that I think therefore I think I am.
http://www.sunbeach.net/personal/dhill/dhill.htm 
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