Re: lynx-dev Lynx and hotmail

[Kim DeVaughn]

On Tue, Aug 03, 1999, Philip Webb (address@hidden) said:
|
| 990803 Mike Bisset wrote to me & someone else:
| >
| > I saw you discussing Lynx and hotmail on the web
| > (a Yahoo search pulled up your discussion).
| > Can you tell me how to use hotmail with Lynx?  By Lynx I mean
| > a keyboard-driven Lynx (or www) with no graphics capability.
| > When I go to the normal hotmail page I get a blank screen.
|
| i don't know anything about hotmail, tho' other lynx-devers may.
| there have been similar questions recently:
| check the Lynx Archive at  www.flora.org/lynx-dev/ .

I don't know about the "blank screen" problem, but ...

While I don't know a whole lot about hotmail per se (though I do have
a mailbox there ... mostly for testing purposes), beginning about a
month ago, they changed their service to *require* the use of SSL
(secure socket layer) in order to access one's account/mailbox there
(see attached snippet from their "trouble logging in page", below).

For reasons of "national security" (idiotic ITAR restrictions against
exporting "munitions" [crypto technology]), and possible patent issues
WRT use of the RSA algorithms involved in SSL, lynx is not available
with SSL support in a "packaged" form.

There are, however, patches available for the latest (non-dev) release
of lynx (2.8.2rel.1), as well as a couple publically available SSL
libraries from sites outside the US, where the above idiocy doesn't
apply.

To get the materials needed to build up an SSL'ified lynx, hit the
HELP key (?) in lynx, select the "Lynxstuff" link, and follow the
links related to SSL (there are FAQ's, and links to the libs needed,
etc).

Note that you may (read: probably will) need to futz around with the
lynx patch for 2.8.2rel.1, if you want to apply it to one of the more
recent -dev.N versions.

I started to build up an SSL'ified lynx a couple weeks ago, but haven't
done more than collect the various pieces, so far.

Have fun :-) .

Idiotic damned PITA ...!...

/kim


>From the hotmail site:

                                     Hotmail Problems Logging In (p1 of 2)

   [1]Hotmail
   Problems Logging In

   [2]Login problems with SSL
   [3]Login problems with Cookies
   [4]More login problems

   If you are having difficulty accessing your account and are not
   getting a specific error message from Hotmail, then you might be
   experiencing a conflict with a new security feature called Secure
   Socket Layer (SSL). SSL is the industry standard in Web security used
   primarily for transmitting sensitive information over the Internet.
   Hotmail uses SSL to encrypt your login and password to guarantee
   security. You may experience problems accessing your account if:
     * Your browser doesn't support SSL
       For some older Web Browsing Software, SSL is simply incompatible.
       If you are using either Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape
       Navigator versions 1.0 you will not be able to gain access to your
       Hotmail account. For optimal performance, Hotmail recommends that
       you use Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, versions 3.0 or
       higher.
     * SSL is disabled in your current browser.
       If your browser supports SSL it is possible that you might have
       SSL disabled. To see specific instructions on how to enable SSL
       for a variety of Web Browsers, [5]click here.
     * You are behind a firewall or proxy.
       Unfortunately, there is little Hotmail can do for you in this
       case. The best option would be to speak with your local System
       Administrator to see if a solution can be reached using your
       network. Note: Only some firewalls or proxies will cause errors
       with Hotmail. Just because you are behind a firewall or proxy does
       not automatically mean that Hotmail won't work for you.

   Hotmail also uses Cookies to verify your account to ensure security.
   Cookies offer greater individual security to all people, especially
   those who use shared terminals or are behind a firewall or proxy. If
   you get a Cookies Required error message when you try to log in,
   follow these steps to get into your account.

[stuff about cookie and other problems snipped ... yadda yadda yadda ...]