Re: LYNX-DEV Problems with Lynx ver 2-7

[David Woolley]

Jatin Grover wrote:
> 
> Sometimes while a page is being loaded, after the browser reads the
> document, it gives in an error message "Bad HTML : Use -trace to diagnose"
> The document that usually turns up is a form, and the 'Submit' button is
> the one that is not working. On pressing 'Submit', the browser says "No
> form action defined" and the form is not submitted. Please let me know the
> solution to this problem as many forms, necessary for work, have been left
> unfilled.

This one is easy; fix the broken HTML.  It is unconditionally illegal in
HTML 4.0 and has no defined semantics in HTML 2.0 through 3.2, to have
a FORM tag with no ACTION attribute, even though Front Page seems to 
like generating them.

However, the early NT port of 2.7.1 that I use in the office** handles this
case better than MSIE 3.02 (GET method, anyway).  It uses the URL of the
form with any query string removed, whereas MSIE tries to merge the query
string, even if the result is multiple buttons pressed and conflicting
parameters.  (It may even have two ? marks.)  The source of 2.7 also seems
to have heuristics for this case.

>       Another problem is that on some sites, on accessing a link, the
> browser says "Alert : The client does not support HTTPS URLs" and the link
> is not followed. Please help me in this too.

Assuming that you have at least green card status, see the section on SSL
(Secure Sockets Layer) in the FAQ, otherwise, you are in the wrong country.

Basically there is no way that support for SSL can be distributed under 
the Gnu General Public Licence in the USA, and no way even of it being 
supported by freeware, given that you intend a commercial use.  SSL involves
the use of algorithms which are covered by US software patents; the GPL 
requires that, within a country==, GPLed software musth be freely distributable
and explicitly states that any requirement that some classes of user must
pay licence fees, because of software patents (explicitly mentioned) or
otherwise, would be considered to make it not freely distributable.  (The
USA is about the only coutry which has software patents.)

Also, any version which includes support for SSL would not be exportable
from the USA and Canada.  That may be OK under the GPL, but if you look
at the lynx-dev list, you will see that many users of Lynx are outside
of the USA.  This is because it would be classed as an armament because
of its encryption content.

I believe the FAQ explains how US permanent residents can obtain patches
or an external proxy.  The patches are probably on the border line with
respect to the GPL.  To comply with the licence, you will have to compile
it yourself (it is possible that binary versions are being distributed,
but these are not covered by the GPL and would require a separate licence
from all the joint copyright holders, which I doubt has been issued).
The proxy solution is cleaner from patents point of view.

Clauses 7 and 8 are the relevant clauses of the GPL.  As far as I can see
there is no exclusion for COCOM restrictions, so it is probable that
code which is not exportable from the USA cannot be distributed under the
Gnu licence.  However, I think the Free Software Foundation are more 
concerned about the patents issue.

** I'm using it for developing intranet CGI because it is more stable and
faster than MSIE.  Unfortunately the CGI won't be very Lynx friendly because
of marketing department constraints.

== The copyright owner must restrict it to particular countries; if they
don't, it becomes non-distributable if patent royalties are required in
any country in the world, for any class of user.
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