Re: LYNX-DEV HTTP Refresh header

[Al Gilman]

  Subject: LYNX-DEV HTTP Refresh header
  Cc: address@hidden (Lincoln Stein)
  From: address@hidden (Daniel S. Lewart)
  
  I am running Lynx 2.7.  Since it already parses the HTML tag:
        <META HTTP-EQUIV="Refresh" CONTENT=...>
  could it be changed to also handle the (Netscape) HTTP header:
        Refresh: ...
  
  This is a problem because Lincoln Stein's widely-used Perl CGI module says:
        There is no support for the HTTP-EQUIV type of <META> tag.  This is
        because you can modify the HTTP header directly with the header()
        method.
  
  Also, could `lynx' sleep for so many seconds and refresh automatically?
  
Disclaimer: I am interpreting my memory; my memory is fuzzy and
my filter is not pure.

Daniel,

While Lynx could be induced to sleep and refresh in this way, I
think that you will find it won't be so changed, as a matter of
policy.  Lynx users and developers probably would come to
consensus on the proposition that even graphical browsers _should
not_ refresh on instructions from the server side of the dialog.

If you think about the pragmatics of the character-cell screen
medium where Lynx operates, there is even more reason to defend
the Lynx user from this invasion of his/her span of control.

Part of Lynx's contract with its users is that REFRESH is
antisocial like spam and is blocked.

Lynx recognizes the embedded HTTP-equivalent tag, as I recall,
because of the prevalence of using a zero-delay refresh directive
as a redirection equivalent.  This is pragmatic because the
content of the HTML is more widely accessible to individuals that
is the content of the server directives that would do redirection
otherwise.

I believe you will find that is all that Lynx does with REFRESH.

This still leaves the header, but the grassroots operatives that
can't get to the server directives to do a redirection aren't big
CGI customers, either.

--
Al Gilman


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