Re: LYNX-DEV Please clarify...

[Hiram Lester, Jr.]

Good questions.  Let's see if I can address some of these...

On Wed, 4 Dec 1996, Julian Rodriguez wrote:

> 3) Could Rob either update the stand-alone character patch so that it
> supports slang (like the composite+character patch does), or update the
> composite+character-patch so that it reflects the newest composite patch?

I can't answer this one, so I'll leave that one to Rob. :)

> 1) What is the difference between Hiram's composite patch and Fote's
> personal mods?
...
> 4) I would like to know which patches are "canon," (I assume the composite
> patch is, although I thought the original purpose of the composite patch
> was to combine all the *bug fix* patches.)  Which patches are "bug-fix",
> which are developmental, and which are tweaks and enhancements?  For
> example, is the multi-bookmark support now part of the standard lynx code
> set (again assuming the composite patch is "canon"), or do I still need to
> go to Fillip's page?

Ok, I'll group these two together since they are closely related...  The
composite patch is bug fixes and as Fote puts it "straightforward" 
modifications.  It should be considered canon.  The multi-bookmark support
has been integrated pretty tightly into the code at this point, including
addressing some security issues and has evolved way beyond the "hack" 
(Filip's word :) ) that was originally released. I think that it's safe to
assume that this will be a part of 2.7 when it emerges.  Fote's personal
mods are just that, his personal mods.  Once they are sufficiently tested
and I've had a chance to at least peruse them and confirm that they
compile on my 2 test systems and perorm properly, they will be integrated
in the composite.  I have found a few things that I was not happy with and
didn't release those mods until they were fixed (either by Fote or me). 
I'm not saying that mine will be perfect, but I'm striving to keep the
composite relatively trouble free.

> 5) Is lynx26-rp still the de facto developmental version of lynx?  I saw
> Fote mention lynx26-kw for Klaus's character patch code, but as that
> hasn't surfaced publicly, I'm guessing Rob is still in charge.  Are
> *you* (I'm using Klaus' "you") gonna finish the tweaks of existing
> enhancements to the lynx code (character styles, multi-bookmarks, snews,
> etc.) and call it lynx2-7?

I think this fits in with the question above about the differences in
Fote's code and the composite.  I don't think there's really ANY official
"de facto" development version beyond the composite patches.  Development
has become more more of a team effort at this point...  Fote is making
fairly straightforward bugfixes and modifications.  I'm doing what little
I can in what time I have to smooth over Fote's stuff and confirm that it
works on unix as well as VMS.  Klaus' mods are very experimental at this
point, and Rob's are also very experimental and very unix-specific.  At
some point when some of these "experimental" mods are stable, someone will
need to integrate them into a workable code set.  It is my understanding
that Rob is planning on taking that duty on once the code styles thing is
fairly stable...

> 6) Assuming lynx2-7 appears, will Fote return from his vacation to lead
> the next developmental code?

Well, Fote probably needs to answer this one for himself, but I'll explain
my understanding of the situation and you can take it for what it's
worth... :)

Fote has been unofficially in charge of Lynx development for about 2 years
or more while development at UKans stagnated and eventually died.  He has
also done probably about 90% of the development work.  It's my
understanding that he would like the development of Lynx to become more of
a team thing like it appears to be doing and fade back into the crowd of
submitting patches, etc. like the rest of us.  I think he's just tired of
being THE develoment person for Lynx and "in charge" but would still like
to contribute and will probably remain a major factor in Lynx development
even if he is never "in charge" again.  The fact that he said vaction
seems to imply to me that he might at some point come back and take over
if we fail to carry on the development ourselves, but that's just my
interpretation of things. :)

> 2) Where would one go if one wanted to get the SSL hooks?

I suppose it depends upon which set of SSL hooks you are referring to...
If you meant the ones that Tom used to have on his page that provided SSL
directly integrated into lynx, then you'd have to find someone who still
has the patches lying around since Tom is no longer devolping, supporting,
or distributing them.  If you're referring to the mods that Fote made for
SSL, I think that he has stated in the past that he will send them to
those who ask, but I'm not positive on that...  If you are referring to
the SSL mods that Tom is currently working on that provide an SSL server
and allow Lynx to use it as a proxy for https: and snews: URL's, then
you'd have to check with Tom on that...

Hope I've clarified some of your questions and not muddled the matters any
further.  As I've stated, these are my interpretations of the current
state of things.  I could be wrong (I have been before...at least ONCE...
:) ) and don't claim to speak for others involved.  Flames anyone? ;)

   +------------------------------------+-------------------------------+
   | Hiram W. Lester, Jr.               | E-Mail: address@hidden    |
   | Computer Science                   | Home page:                    |
   | Middle Tennessee State University  |   http://pobox.com/~hwlester/ |
   +------------------------------------+-------------------------------+


;
; To UNSUBSCRIBE:  Send a mail message to address@hidden
;                  with "unsubscribe lynx-dev" (without the
;                  quotation marks) on a line by itself.
;