Re: lynx-dev latest status on java script support?

[Philip Webb]

020313 Martin McCormick wrote:
> I just installed lynx2-8-5 on a FreeBSD system without any problem.
> if I am going to do hacking, I might as well hack on the current version.

yes, that is the essential first step.  no-one supports older versions.

> Since I really don't know that much about javascript yet,
> and several people have said that lynx needs a rewrite, etc,
> it seems the plan should be to keep as much as what is good working.

it's almost all good in its effects,
but there are probably a lot of messy ancient parts still IN SITV
which it would not do any harm to rewrite, if necessary.
Lynx grew out of a small campus project over a number of years.

> I have not set up and compiled lynx with debugging, yet,
> so I don't know the flow of the program, but ideally,
> it should have modular sections that allow one to insert new modules
> which take input that isn't fit to continue processing, fix it,
> and send it on to existing modules that hopefully can now handle it.

in some important areas, it probably isn't modular enough,
but it would help everyone to make it so.

> The first thing I imagine doing is to break the operations into blocks 
> that work as independently of each other as possible
> with each block taking the output of the preceding engine as its input.

to some extent, that already happens: TD will advise, when he returns.

> My idea is that what has been done over all these years is very good

yes but ...

> and there was probably a good reason for doing it the way it was done.

... not necessarily: a lot of stuff was just strapped on rather hastily.

> Some programs have doc files called "hacking.this" or "hacking.that"
> that suggest things one can do to stay out of trouble, etc.
> Are there any such documents anywhere? 

no, there aren't!  no-one ever took the time to write them!
however, one good thing you can do is document carefully whatever you find.

> There is no point making the same mistakes everyone has already made.
> I like to make new mistakes when possible.  It keeps life interesting.

you have the right attitude.
let's everyone hope you (three?) really have the time to spare.

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