Re: LYNX-DEV Re: Setting up a fund for specific development?

[Filip M Gieszczykiewicz]

You (Andrew Kuchling) wrote:
[zap]
>       As I see it, the central problem is lack of interest from
> technically capable people in improving Lynx.  Lynx is used by many
> Unix hackers because of its simplicity and speed, but few are
> interested in enhancing the program.  Is that because Lynx is already
[zap]

Look, I consider myself a below-average unix hacker. My website is
processed with scripts I wrote myself. I can do that... but I am
NOT good enough to even approach the C-competance to actually DO
something about the problems lynx has. I AM however willing to
send some $$/start a fund to encourage someone who can to do so.
That's my WHOLE point. I use it, I feel it's "needing" in some
areas, I feel guilty, I want to get something accomplished. All
the motivation in the world couldn't get ME to get anything done.

>       The HTML parser presents problems because its use of global
> variables prevents recursive parsing, which is required for tables,
> and because it's a one-pass parser.  As an initial step, you'd have to
> push all these globals into a C struct, and then modify a lot of
> functions to receive such a struct as a parameter.  (Or, do some hack

You lost me already... see what I mean?

[zap]
> overhaul.  That's a lot of work, which no one has done, and no one
> seems really willing to do.

And how much is such rewrite WORTH to the lynx communinty? I can't
afford to hire a damn good programmer to do it... but I CAN help
out in the funding of an organized efford to do it as a community.

Example: Red Hat wrote the whole rpm package to make installing
modules a breeze. It's GNU as far as I know and _everyone_ benefits
even if they did that as a commercial project when they begun. rpm
has made Red Hat as a company possible...

> Perhaps only a complete rewrite would fix things.

I'll get started right away... I'll have something ready for
you guys around 2200's... wait, that's past my death...
oh never mind... 

That $50 is still burning a hole in my wallet...

Take care.