Re: lynx-dev Re: STARTFILE patch

[Larry W. Virden]

From: Henry Nelson <address@hidden>
>> who suddenly can't get Lynx to start
>> & can't even hit `h'elp because Lynx won't start
>> & can't check  lynx.cfg  because they don't know what it is
>
>All three of these are answered (or should be) by plain text
>documentation in the distribution.  I cannot show a great deal
>of pity for people who fail to read INSTALLATION, PROBLEMS and
>other documentation thoroughly.  Particularly the last, if

Yikes - are you sure you reread that part before posting Henry?

The reason I ask is that I know you have been one of the few strong
advocates for maintaining lynx as a 'menuing' system.  How would
the fine users of such a thing succeed in reading INSTALLATION,
PROBLEMS, and other doc - unless that is the fine administrator made
sure that these documents were part of the very first thing that users
see...  Otherwise, they have no access to the file system to get to
those files.


And we can suspect, from years of messages received from users on such
systems sent to this list, how many fine administrators take
the time and care to make all of the lynx doc available... (I suspect
the percentage is rather small.)


> If it is the sysadm's job to provide Lynx service, then there isn't
> a lot we on lynx-dev can do if the sysadm is a slacker.  If Lynx
> isn't a provided or supported service, then it is up to the user to
> fill in the gap or answer his/her own needs.

And particularly in the case of the 'slacker' the users are going to
need help.  I know that none of _my_ users have any idea where those files
are on our system...  I keep lynx binary compiled up to date, but I don't
spend time creating specialized web pages pointing to all of the most recent
files describing INSTALLATION, etc.  Hmm - perhaps we should have a step
that converts the plain text files in question into HTML and installs them
into the help directory AND make a link in the lynx help files to them!

If someone feels this is of interest, then we should add it to the Lynx todo
list...

> to msn.com.  At least there would be a brief message about possible
> things to try.  This would also seem very appropriate for non-English
> speakers, because then there would be at least the opportunity for NLS.

It would seem to me that if lynx fails in accessing the STARTFILE site
that an error page, with possible explanation along with pointers to
a few other useful web sites to try, might be an alternative.

Alas, my personal time available for lynx hacking is again at a minimum...
-- 
Larry W. Virden                 <URL: mailto:address@hidden>
<URL: http://www.purl.org/NET/lvirden/> <*> O- "No one is what he seems."
Unless explicitly stated to the contrary, nothing in this posting should 
be construed as representing my employer's opinions.