Re: LYNX-DEV 2.7.1ac-0.84

[Klaus Weide]

On Sat, 18 Oct 1997, Nelson Henry Eric wrote:

> > I have made *some* of the changes proposed by Henry.  As a result, diffs
> 
> Not the ones that concern me the most.  

No surprise... (see below)

> I can't expect anyone to make
> semi-radical changes unless I show enough conviction that the changes
> would be worthwhile, thus once again I'll give my rationalization.
[...]

> I believe "INSTALLATION" is hopelessly out of date.  [...]
 
> The proposal I made, "http://163.51.110.11/lynxdev/INSTALLATION.gz";,
> handles all of the ports in one document by dividing it into configuration,
> compiling, installation and environment variable sections.  [...]
> 
> The proposals made in "http://163.51.110.11/lynxdev/USERDEFS.gz";  [...]
> 
> Finally there is "http://163.51.110.11/lynxdev/SIMPLEDIR.gz";, the most
> controversial.  I can live with what you implemented, and mostly need to
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I believe you see a "controversy" where there isn't any.  I certainly
didn't mean "that's all I will change", and nowhere have I said so, and
you shouldn't take it that way.

I just did the no-brainers as a start.  I also expected some more
comments; missing so far (I think) were any comments from Fote or someone
else who knows the older history better, and may have a better idea why
things are organized the way they have been.  I just wouldn't like to move
things around and then move them back etc.  Not a big deal either but I
try to avoid it.  At least the script do do checkouts would also have to
be changed, normally Jim would do that, I didn't get around to ask him
etc.

> [ about about_lynx: ...]  The two benefits I see
> from it's removal is that it is an under-used directory, and only the four
> files presently (ac-0.84) in there do not warrant it's existence.  In the
> long run, I also think it will make it more straight forward to install
> the help files locally if they don't have to be installed by having _two_
> directories _in parallel_.  As to the possibility of removing "about_lynx"
> breaking links in freenets, I see the other side, it's just another way to
> prod sysadmins to update their documentation.  

Ok, you have me convinced if nobody disagrees.

> As for the placement of the
> COPY* files, I can't see "about_lynx" as the place for them.  If anything,
> they probably should be in the top directory (rather than docs, that I
> originally proposed).

Actually they probably should be in the top.  (Seems to be what most GNU
packages are doing?)

> I would like to see some of my editing of the top-level "README" file
> be implemented.  It bugs me to no end to read in there "Current versions of
> Lynx run on Unix and VMS."  I would like to go even further than I did in
> SIMPLEDIR to combine the three files "README", "DESC" and "RELEASE_STATEMENT".
> I think it would be easier to maintain only one file "README", rather than
> three (which are redundant in certain areas anyway).  The README file really
> should be checked and edited with every new release (but I won't be
> volunteering unless there's at least a hint from others that it might be a
> good idea).

Well go ahead.

I don't know what the reason behind the existence of these separate files
is.  Maybe there is or was a good one, and someone is able to say whether
it still applies.

(Who has actually the authority to make a RELEASE_STATEMENT?  The
copyright owners?  THere is no name.  (And in view of that the word
"official" in it seems a bit bogus.))

    Klaus

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