Re: lynx-dev FWD: Lynx on Openvms question

[David Woolley]

>       The idea is for a VMS system at scheduled intervals connect to
> a WEB server (non-VMS) with some arguments. 
> 
>       Depending on the URL and arguments appropriate actions such a
> sending mail will take place on the WEB server.

Lynx can be used without a terminal (at least on Unix), but a much better
approach would be to use something like a Perl HTTP/HTML library for
complex requests, or WGET for simple gets.  I don't know about their
availability on VMS, although WGET should run on anything with basic 
Posix functions and Berkeley sockets, possibly requiring some changes to
the handling of directory names.

> 2.    Can we similarly do FTP from LYNX without a terminal - ie. in
> batch or as  detached process.

Definitely use WGET or an FTP client.  (Lynx will handle FTP downloads,
but it doesn't support PUT.)

> 
> 3.    Licensing issues: 
>       We can get from COMPAQ Freeware CD that has a more recent
> version of LYNX than we currently have.
> 
>       If we use it for an application in house on VMS is there a fee
> that we have to pay.

The licensing terms for Lynx forbid the demanding of fees from third
parties - you can demand a fee for the initial supply, but the recipient
can then undermine your market by redistributing it free.

> 4.    Is the source available ?

It is a legal requirement of the licence that the source must be available,
and, in fact, one of the most common mistakes by Windows users is to download
the sources when following the links from lynx.browsers.org.