Re: lynx-dev lynx: ftp anonymous password

[Henry Nelson]

> I've seen that lynx sends the user name when doing ANONYMOUS ftp gets.

This is the standard convention for logging in as "anonymous."  I prefer that
Lynx offer my e-mail address as the password so that I do not have to enter
it manually.  To enter an invalid e-mail address is outright lying, in some
cases it might even be considered an illegal act.

> - Sending the user name if the user doesn't know that it's sent doesn't 
> protect the user state of ANONYMOUS
> - Spyware is not a good idea, most users don't like it.
> - Sending the user name helps SPAM instead of stopping it. Many ftp sites use 
> this information to send you unsolicited email.
> - Sending the user name doesn't help ftp sites to know who the cracker is, 
> crackers are not stupid to send their email address.
> - Sending the user name can be used to discriminate the user.

I cannot agree with any of the arguments you supply.  If any of these are
serious concerns of yours, then you should not make use of those ftp sites,
or, if you trust no ftp sites, then you should not be using anonymous ftp
at all.  You are making use of a service; you ought to at least abide by
the requirements of that service.

> I send you the bugfix.

This is no "bugfix."  Please consider a patch that would allow the user
to configure Lynx such that the password for anonymous ftp access could
be entered manually.  (Preferably, however, you would simply keep this
patch to yourself.)  Application of your patch as submitted would prevent
me from using Lynx as an ftp client.

__Henry

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