Re: LYNX-DEV Info wanted

[Jim Dennis]

> Hi Rob,
> 
> I am interested in writing an application which downloads a page of the
> given site. I would like to re-use the code (if legal) in lynx.
> Any pointers regarding this like which source files to look in, etc.
> would be extremely beneficial to me.
> Thanks
> Nikhil

        There are two approaches to this:

                1)  use your OS' analogue to the "system()" or
                    "popen()" system call.  These allow you to
                    run a program from within your code and 
                    use the results/output.

                2)  "derive" your code from Lynx' -- that is use the 
                    Lynx source code -- and hack out the parts you
                    want.

        The disadvantage of the first method is that you must 
        include a full copy of Lynx with your package or require
        that it already be installed.

        The main caveat regarding the second is that any DERIVED work
        must be released under the GPL (that is, if you based your
        product on any substantive code from Lynx and you distribute
        or release this "derived work" you are bound by the appropriate
        clauses of the GNU Public License).

        Note that I called this a "caveat" since might not be any 
        disadvantage depending on your intentions.

        Please note that I am not a Lynx copyright holder -- and I'm
        not a lawyer.  So I'm just expressing my opinion based on my
        memory that Lynx is GPL and my opinion of what the GPL means.

        I think there is a "libwww" which provides the same sort of 
        functions that Lynx and wget and other HTTP clients use.
        This *might* be covered by the LGPL (the Library GNU Public
        License).  This is "less" restrictive in that you can link
        your proprietary program using such a library without 
        being obligated to release your sources.  

        If one of your requirements is to maintain the "propriety"
        of your code then you'll want to look for something like this
        -- or you'll want to re-engineer all the code that you need.

        (If you do end up re-engineering any significant amount of 
        code -- you should pause to think about why GNU programmers
        have created the GPL -- precisely so we aren't all forced to
        repeately re-invent the same old wheels).

--
Jim Dennis  (800) 938-4078              address@hidden
Proprietor, Starshine Technical Services:  http://www.starshine.org
        PGP  1024/2ABF03B1 Jim Dennis <address@hidden>
        Key fingerprint =  2524E3FEF0922A84  A27BDEDB38EBB95A 
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