LYNX-DEV trickle-down development?

[gregory j. rosmaita]

aloha, larry!

in a recent message "Re: LYNX-DEV why not use shift-V to access multiple
bookmarks list?" you wrote:
> Well, no changes we make now will help those folk whom are
> 'stuck' with sysadm's who refuse to update and
> who have no disk space to compile their own.

true, but if the polite-but-pointed please-upgrade-now emessage is
circulated, as has been suggested, it is important to ensure that any
changes that are made in this direction (this being speech-compatability and
multiple bookmarking), are included in the next general distribution,
lynx26-RP/lynx27

> Since we are dealing with unpaid volunteers, we must in the end be satisfied 
> with whatever features or implementations that they are willing to implement.

this is true, but it is also important that any features or
implementations that are added to the general distribution do not detract
from lynx's already pretty-damn-incredible accessibility (for which i,
along with every other blind/vi person using lynx, owe fote an undying 
debt of gratitude)...

> To date, no one has stepped forward to make _any_ changes specifically
> to make lynx more speech compatible.  It might be more likely to find
> someone to pay for everyone who needs their speech generator updated!

with the average price of an acceptable-quality speech synthesizer at more
than $500 a pop, i think not...

the point is, speech-compatibility need not be built-in <STRONG><EM>IF THE
PROBLEMS FACING SPEECH-USERS ARE CONSIDERED DURING DEVELOPMENT</EM></STRONG>

if common sense and knowledge are applied during the develpment phase, no
retrofitting or special patching will be necessary...  one of the things
lynx-dev and lynx in general is famous for is the willingness of those
involved in the actual development of the program to listen to average
users, even those as ignorant as i...  all i am asking is that this
tradition be continued, and that al's recent proposals be acted upon...
(NOTE: i intended to add a hyperlink to al's proposals, but, at least as
of this writing, the lynx-dev hyperarchive ends with 4 november)

we are always complaining about trickle-down design when it comes to
browser-specific and "enhanced" web sites--let's not make the same
mistakes with lynx development...

gregory.
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