Re: LYNX-DEV OS/2 blowoff

[Jonathan Sergent]

[long]

...
 ] the GNU GPL still applies to v2.4, because it
 ] is a rider on the UKans copyright.  
...

Okay, thanks; that's the part I didn't understand.

If you haven't already, do a DejaNews search for 'address@hidden lynx'; 
you'll find some interesting articles that he has posted on the subject
of merging his work with the mainstream Lynx development code.

Here are the ones I found most relevant...

     _________________________________________________________________
  
Subject:      Re: Could someone port Lynx 2.6 to OS/2??
From:         address@hidden (Derek J Decker)
Date:         1997/02/02
Message-Id:   <address@hidden>
Newsgroups:   comp.os.os2.networking.www
[More Headers]

In message <address@hidden> - address@hidden (Richard
Steiner) writes:
:>
:>I am aware of Derek Decker's OS/2 port of Lynx, and it is an excellent
:>program, but the UNIX version of Lynx has jumped far ahead of the older
:>one upon which Lynx/2 is based.
:>
:>The new Lynx 2.6 supports frames, has editable input fields, maintains
:>a history of the URLs you type in at the command line, etc.

I'll get there,Rich - it's just that I don't have time to fool with it
as much as I'd like.  I'm currently working on methodologies to support
the stuff you mentioned, plus more- and the intent is to do a better job
than the Lynx 2.6 people.  Besides, they don't support Java.

Problem is, I need to spend my time on income-producing stuff, and my time's
been limited by my health.

:>Would anyone consider porting the latest and greatest version?  What all
:>is involved?  Does Lynx lend itself well to using emx?

EMX is a good start - finding a good curses lib is another part of it.
Then it's a lot of gruntwork.

-Derek


+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|    Derek J Decker            address@hidden          Decker Automation     |
|                          Tel/Fax: 606/263-8560     833 Penny Lane        |
|                        http://www.cris.com/~djd/   Lexington, KY 40509   |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+

     _________________________________________________________________
  
Subject:      Re: Could someone port Lynx 2.6 to OS/2??
From:         address@hidden (Richard Steiner)
Date:         1997/02/02
Message-Id:   <address@hidden>
Newsgroups:   comp.os.os2.networking.www
[More Headers]

Here in comp.os.os2.networking.www, address@hidden (Derek J Decker)
spake unto us, saying:

>In message <address@hidden> - address@hidden
>(Richard Steiner) writes:
>
>I'll get there,Rich - it's just that I don't have time to fool with it
>as much as I'd like.  I'm currently working on methodologies to support
>the stuff you mentioned, plus more- and the intent is to do a better job
>than the Lynx 2.6 people.  Besides, they don't support Java.

Hi, Derek.  I hope I didn't give the impression that I'm unhappy or just
whining (at least too much <grin>) because I'm extremely glad/grateful
for the work you've already done on the Lynx/2 port (your interrim table
support still beats 2.6's, BTW <g>).  But I spend some time at work in
the new UNIX version now, and frame support and the editable input fields
are things I miss when I get home.  *Sigh*.

>Problem is, I need to spend my time on income-producing stuff, and my
>time's been limited by my health.

I understand.  I wish I could lend some assistance, but I'm an absolute
novice when it comes to C coding, and I don't know anything about doing
programming in a PC environment at all.  :-(

Haveyou talked to the unix Lynx folks?  Perhaps they would be willing
to consider an emx port to OS/2 themselves, and you could then take that
base and enhance it when you have time?  Just a thought...

>:>Would anyone consider porting the latest and greatest version?  What
>:>all is involved?  Does Lynx lend itself well to using emx?
>
>EMX is a good start - finding a good curses lib is another part of it.
>Then it's a lot of gruntwork.

Curses is essentially a keyboard support library, right?

--
-Rich Steiner  >>>--->  address@hidden  >>>---> Bloomington, MN
      Written offline using PC Yarn + Yep + FTE under OS/2 Warp 4
       I am Al of Borg.  Aww, Peg, I assimilated you last year..
     _________________________________________________________________

[ He didn't follow-up to that one, AFAIK.  --jss. ]
     _________________________________________________________________
   
Subject:      Re: Web Browser?
From:         address@hidden (Derek J Decker)
Date:         1996/08/16
Message-Id:   <address@hidden>
Newsgroups:   comp.os.os2.misc
[More Headers]

In message <address@hidden> - address@hidden (Ray Chow)
writes:

>
>On Sat, 10 Aug 1996 11:27:42 -0400, Michael Raiteri <address@hidden
g.au> wrote:
>>In article <address@hidden>,
>>address@hidden (Richard Steiner) wrote:
>>>Yup.  ;-)  BTW, it looks like Derek just cranked out an update, and it
>>>is on Hobbes (hobbes.nmsu.edu) in the /incoming directory right now,
>>>filename lynxo25.zip.  Lots of changes.
>>
>>He's just put our another lynxos26.zip
>
>I downloaded lynxos26.zip last night and found it is still based on Lynx
>2-4-1. There are a few bug fixes and a help file in INF format.
>

Plus support for running Java applets, which is not (and never will be) a
part of Lynx 2.5 FM.  As well as (finally) adding a capability to post
usenet news.  Editing of local files is a nice feature, too. And the INF
file took some time to create, and should address/answer a lot of questions
about the setup and use of Lynx/2.

There's an interim release on my web site with table support, sans extra
docs. The next full release of Lynx/2 will feature optional automatic Java
applet loading, Inline image linking, and a Frames work-around, in addition
to the table support illustrated in the interim release.  Plus a reasonable
level of documentation for same, in the INF file.  All this is because I
am playing with the HTML Parser this time around, now that I have the
basic functionality working.

When will I get this done? As time and my schedule permit, as usual. I'm an
independent consultant, and customers who pay me money get first priority
on my time.  Plus, my wrists are starting to _really_ hurt -I'm afraid I
may succumb to carpal tunnel, which would really put a damper on recreational
computing projects like Lynx/2.

As far as becoming the OS/2 maintainer of Lynx2.5FM - I don't have the time,
energy, or desire to do that.  That would require a repeat of the effort it
took to get Lynx/2 to the state it is, followed by a significant effort to
test and keep up with the ever-evolving state of 2.5. Most of that effort
would be strictly mechanical, ie no fun at all - and Lynx/2 is for me an
exercise in _recreational_ computing.   Plus, at this point it's easier
(as well as more fun) for me to extend what I have working to add the
functionality folks seem to want, than to go  back to square one and start
again. So while Lynx/2 will eventually end up with functionality that equals
or eclipses 2.5FM, it won't be via the same route.  The two packages are
already starting to diverge, and will continue to do so. Any of you out there
in OS/2-land who _do_ desire to become Mr (or Ms) Lynx2.5FM for OS/2 are
welcome to drop me email at anytime- I'll be happy to chat about how to
overcome specific issues in porting, etc.

I'm quite pleased that Lynx/2 has turned out to be as useful as it seems
to be so far - I get lots of email about it, the vast majority of
which is very positive in tone.  I hope to be able to increase the
usefulness of Lynx/2 with various enhancements in the future.  I always
like to get email from folks who use Lynx/2, and will endeavor to keep
it a useful web browsing alternative for the OS/2 platform.

Happy Lynxing!

-Derek


+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|    Derek J Decker            address@hidden          Decker Automation     |
|                       http://www.cris.com/~djd     833 Penny Lane        |
|                         Tel/Fax: 606/263-8560      Lexington, KY 40509   |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
     _________________________________________________________________

Make what you will of all that.


-- 
Jonathan Sergent / address@hidden / address@hidden
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