Re: lynx-dev Lynx help site is now a porn site

[Avi Green]

On Thu, 11 Sep 2003, Steven Read <address@hidden> wrote ("Re: lynx-dev...:

> I noticed this a while back when I hit help and muttered a few things
> about the new owner of the domain under my breath about it thinking
> there isn't a lot I more I could do. I probably should have posted a
> message here but didn't.
>
> At this point I've changed the configuration files on the systems I use
> including the master I use to install new versions of Lynx. While this
> won't fix the problem on the kiosk users is there any way to get an
> updated copy to the Linux distros so this configuration file will go
> away over time?

Steve, I hope you don't mind, but I'm CC-ing this to the list; someone
there can probably answer your question about updating the distros.
(Or you can do what I did: save the Lynx developers the time, do the
research yourself, and post the results to the list.  I'll see what I
can find out about contacting the RPM distros.)

Regarding the kiosks: The problem I indicated is not an inherent one;
it's just for kiosk admins/vendors who don't fix their Lynx configs
and whose kiosk users don't know how to use Lynx and have no other
easy Internet access.

Good luck,
Avi
8

>
> Steven Read - 812/237-3362 - address@hidden
> Indiana State University
>
> >>> address@hidden 09/11/2003 5:13:11 PM >>>
>
> Dear Lynx developers,
>
> You may be aware that trill-home.com, the domain that's been used for
> hosting the Lynx help files for so long, was abandoned by Subir Grewal
> earlier this year.  In late June, the domain name was snapped up by
> a "domain retriever"; it now redirects to "scubed.com", a porn site
> (note the similarity to "subir.com").
>
> So now, in all the public/stable release versions of Lynx (i.e.
> everying up to and including 2.8.4), when a Lynx user presses "h",
> instead of loading the real help page, it brings up the Porn site
> at http://www.trill-home.com/lynx/lynx_help/lynx_help_main.html.
>
> This can be overridden by changing the HELPFILE setting in lynx.cfg
> (or by changing the HELPFILE settings in the source code and then
> rebuilding), but it would be awesomely difficult to publish that
> information to the entire community of people who need to know.
>
> What bothers me is not so much that users will be getting a porn site
> as that novices won't have access to the Lynx help.  Some of them may
> be able to search for help online, but this is imposing a significant
> burden on kiosk users who've never used Lynx before and were just
> using it to look something up in the first place!
>
> At a very minimum, all the Lynx distribution and help sites should be
> notified so they don't refer to trill-home any more, and any sites
> offering downloads of previous versions should provide a warning.
>
> I searched all over the net (and in lynx-dev) but was unable to find
> any mention of this problem, so perhaps the Lynx development community
> wasn't yet aware of it.  If so, this is my gift back to you.
>
> Thanks for all your hard work,
> Avi
>
> p.s.  I'm not a regular contributor to lynx-dev, so I'd appreciate if
>       you'd CC to me any responses you send to the list.  Thanks!
>
> Avi Green <address@hidden>   <address@hidden>
>
> == Have a job to offer? I'm looking for full-time, creative work
> == in a friendly, people-oriented environment offering prof. &
> == technical advancement.  Work for a good cause is a +.  I have
> == ten years' experience in Unix & Windows system administration,
> == programming, & support, as well as teaching and leadership in
> == varied fields.  Please see http://www.dorsai.org/~avi/Resume
> ========= <address@hidden> ====== +1 212 663-4424 ======
>
> ; To UNSUBSCRIBE: Send "unsubscribe lynx-dev" to address@hidden
>

--Avi

Avi Green <address@hidden>   <address@hidden>

== Have a job to offer? I'm looking for full-time, creative work
== in a friendly, people-oriented environment offering prof. &
== technical advancement.  Work for a good cause is a +.  I have
== ten years' experience in Unix & Windows system administration,
== programming, & support, as well as teaching and leadership in
== varied fields.  Please see http://www.dorsai.org/~avi/Resume
========= <address@hidden> ====== +1 212 663-4424 ======

; To UNSUBSCRIBE: Send "unsubscribe lynx-dev" to address@hidden