LYNX-DEV Re: tagging files, not URLs

[Foteos Macrides]

"gregory j. rosmaita" <address@hidden> CCed a lynx-learers message to
        me instead of lynx-dev:
>[...]
>note to fote: could you please add a hyperlink to the download options
>page pointing to the pertinent part of the manual that describes how to
>set downloading options via the lynx.cfg file in place of the rather
>cryptic message that currently appears on the Download Options screen?  i
>don't think that the extra hyperlink will cause confusion, as the blurb
>about changing the lynx.cfg file _follows_ the list of options...  why is
>this pointer to the user's guide necessary?  because most users haven't
>the slightest idea what the lynx.cfg is, let alone what it does and how to
>customize it...

        It's not as straightforward as you might be imagining.  The download
page has different content depending on the configuration, the Lynx code
has the configured URL for the main help page, not the Users Guide, and
though that could easily be parsed to have the Users Guide substituted
as the last symbolic element, it would also require a fragment for the
named anchor corresponding to the downloading section.  That would create
the precedent of requiring changes is the Lynx code and image whenever
the online help were changed, or tailored to taste at a site, and the
named anchor numbering changed.  I do not think that's a good precedent
to set since it complicates the "maintainability" of Lynx by a community
with so few people who adequated understand the code.  Others are free,
of course to do that, if they so choose.

        It's unfortunate that Al directed the discussion about the
your BLYNX efforts to the ListElves list, and that you did comply and
conduct the discussion there unbeknowst (sp? 8-) to the larger Lynx
community on either the lynx-dev or lynx-learners lists.  I am puzzled
by Al's recent statements, and also would prefer that you and the blind
users provide direct feedback.  I had reorganized the main help page
in accordance with what seemed the consensus in that discussion, and
under the impression that you would be continuing to maintain a help
file set optimized for the blind.  I thought you concurred with Subir
that there was no need to make the standard help as spacey as that
optimized for the blind.  I rereorganized the main help pages essentially
as in Subir's second draft.   The lines with more then one link have them
separated by '|' characters, as recommended in the accessibility guide,
which, of course, I read as carefully as I do RFCs and IETF or W3C drafts,
and I ensured that none of the lines would wrap or throw off the formating
when LINKS_ARE_NUMBERED is on.  The "Speech-Friendly Help Files" link has
by far the longest string, is on it's own line, and should "stand out"
for audio or braille interfaces.  In the case where the standard main
help is installed, a blind user would press 'h' and then the number of
that link to access your BLYNX file set, and presumeably you would make
it available for local installation via blind users' configuration files.
The two acronyms HTML and HTTP appear without definition, but I did
not anticipate that would be a problem since you also use them in your
file set without definition.  I also included the W3C acronym as follows
"The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)", which does define it.

        What I took away from that discussion ;(unfortunately on ListElves):
is that the PRE formatted diagrams of the navigation commands are much
less than optional for blind users, but the "Speech-Friendly Help Files"
link takes them straight away to your textual explanation, so I do not
see this as a case of needing to choose selectively between what is
optimal for the sighted versus blind, but instead we can offer both to
both.

        Anyway, that's all water under the bridge.  The 2.6FM code
set was frozen on Jan 29 (i.e., I will not be making any further
updates with that designation), and is available to the Lynx community
via http://www.slcc.edu/lynx/fote/ for any further modifications others
deem appropriate en route to its release as v2.7.

        Enjoy!
        
                                Fote

=========================================================================
 Foteos Macrides            Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research
 address@hidden         222 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545
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