Re: lynx-dev lynx2.8.2dev.19 patch #6 (em dash = --)

[David Combs]

On Tue, Mar 16, 1999 at 02:36:20PM -0500, Philip Webb wrote:
> 990316 Klaus Weide wrote: 
>  <snip>
>
> this is a fundamental issue which deserves proper debate,
> but perhaps not here & now: rather at a W3C conference.
> the point is that the current apparently official policy is confused
> -- yet again -- , in that it says both:
> `authors should not attempt to determine physical layout of documents'
> & `browsers should always follow the specs';
> there's also: `authors can always use <PRE> blocks',
> which if taken literally is an invitation to use <PRE> everywhere.
> 
> Lynx (or any browser) must either try to do what the author wants
> -- insofar as it can interpret that from the HTML --
> or draw up its own set of stylistic rules to impose on documents
> or leave an undefined gap with a potential mess on the screen.
<snip>

For whatever it might be worth, do notice in Klaus' text
above, even HE puts a space around the "--".  Evidently, I'm not
the only one who finds it easier to read that way...

David



PS: someone commented a message or two ago that it
would be easy enough to hack some table within lynx,
to add the spaces.

Fine -- for those who compile their own Lynx.

Not so fine for those on systems where someone else
does that, and provides the binary, shared, for everyone
else, eg on a huge network, or for a shell-account on an ISP.

On an ISP, the last thing one wants is to have one's own
version of software -- because they CHARGE you for the
disk space.  (Netcom gives us 5.5mb; that's it, else
you pay more.  Is expensive enough as it is!)

Which is why I push for it being an OPTION, PER USER.