lynx-dev adding Javascript support (was todo)

[Philip Webb]

000703 Larry W. Virden wrote:
>> From: David Woolley <address@hidden>
>> NB Javascript, as popularly understood, is not just the language,
>> but also the browser object model. Netscape's is probably best documented,
>> but Microsoft's is more extensive. The browser object model is the feature
>> of Javascript that will require extensive redesign of Lynx,
>> possibly to an extent where it is easier to start from scratch,
>>or from the Mozilla source code base.

if that is correct, we may have to accept Lynx has no long-term future:
eg i have recently run into JS roadblocks using the Internet
to inquire re local inter-city bus fares & our public-library catalog
(yes, i protested, with a good response from the library,
but so far nothing from the publicly-owned bus co).
 
> somewhere in the Lynx distribution there used to be a note
> where to find a library implementing JavaScript, maybe associated
> to the enable-javascript flag in Lynx's configure file.

i have two sources: (1) a JS package which i believe LV recommended,
which was part of something larger & which i downloaded & archived:
the README is signed by Brendan Eich 960917; (2)  www.ngs.fi/js/ ,
which seems quite detailed, but was last updated 981217.

> Right now all the configure does is set up some Makefile info
> for linking the library.  But at least you wouldn't have to worry
> about what commands to implement at first...

Lynx might start by creating a link in place of a JS `onclick':
that would avoid a lot of problems, similarly to Lynx handling of frames.
 
> There are incompatibilities between Netscape vs IE vs ECMAScript--
> at least the first two -- that are going to be a pain to accomodate.

NGS too ... (smile).

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