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Re: lynx-dev Javascript
From: |
Lalo Martins |
Subject: |
Re: lynx-dev Javascript |
Date: |
Mon, 1 Mar 1999 15:12:54 -0300 |
On Feb 28, David Woolley decided to present us with:
> >
> > <#include "not-subscribed-to-this-list-please-CC-replies.h">
>
> This is a hassle the way the list is set up, and your article is
> likely to generate a long thread; almost certainly someone will
> forget to copy your address back.
I know. I'm already subscribed (since I decided I _would_ work
on this, I figured I'd better subscribe).
> > GPL. It is already available, but NPL-only; as soon as the GPL
> > is effective, it becomes an useful addition to lynx.
>
> Having the Javascript interpreter code is only half the story. First it
> has to be matched to way that Lynx calls extensions. Then the link
> object model has to be modified to match a superset of the IE4 and
> NS object models. Note that IE and NS implementations of the object
> model in version 4 browsers are frustratingly inconsistent and require
> extensive testing or user agent checks; the latter would probably just
> reject Lynx outright. My guess is that you are talking about upwards
> of a 20% re-write of Lynx.
>
> From what I gather, the person who has been doing most of the Lynx
> coding recently has other commitments at the moment, so you are
> going to have find volunteers to do the required major overhaul.
I don't get it. Everyone seems to be of this opinion, and yet
the more I read up on libjs and the more I study lynx's sources,
the less I believe it.
The point is, libjs lets all object access be controled by C
functions. Actually, to make objects useful (like document or
document.form) I'd _have_ to wrap them. So, what's the
difference between a) lynx's source code having an internal
representation suited to it, and b) the wrappers doing all the
conversion work?
Also, I found very good news while studying the possibility. I
think it can be made incrementally, with no major setbacks.
Step 1: Add the js _language_ support, no object model at all
Step 2: Add to the object model only those objects on which
others depend, and those good for debugging (document.write?)
Step 3: Add to the OM those objects that annoy users more ;-)
(such as document.form)
From here on development may follow the usual Free Software pace
- everytime someone is interested in an object lynx doesn't
support, it is a relatively easy task to add it to the OM and
submit the patch here.
> If you don't need Lynx because of a disability, my advice would be
> to use IE4 (it is at least a year ahead of NS4) when accessing commercial
> sites; most of them are designed to be almost unuseable without graphics.
I don't use windows, and I don't call this a disability :-)
I do have a "disability", still; my computer is so old and
broken that I prefer to live in text-mode world (less RAM eaten,
less processor time wasted, less crashes).
Also, my browsing of "commercial sites" accounts for less than
10% total. Most of my time I'm browsing Free Software and
related sites, and these people tend to have a clue.
> Note there are a lot of other ways that JS is used to make pages
> inaccessible, and these are often combined with graphics. I would
> estimate that these are much more common than validation, although it
> is possible that what you are seeing is now is a change in the way that
> validation is done, so that you become aware of it.
I use lynx because I like it, and I develop Free Software
because I like it. Adding libjs support will be, from what I'm
seeing, a challenging, interesting and instructive assignment.
So, I'm on it.
[]s,
|alo
+----
--
I am Lalo of deB-org. You will be freed.
Resistance is futile.
http://www.webcom.com/lalo mailto:address@hidden
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Debian GNU/Linux -- http://www.debian.org
- Re: lynx-dev Javascript, David Woolley, 1999/03/01
- Re: lynx-dev Javascript,
Lalo Martins <=
- Re: lynx-dev Javascript, Larry W. Virden, 1999/03/01
- Re: lynx-dev Javascript, Lalo Martins, 1999/03/01
- Re: lynx-dev Javascript, Bela Lubkin, 1999/03/01
- Re: lynx-dev Javascript, Lalo Martins, 1999/03/01
- Re: lynx-dev Javascript, Bela Lubkin, 1999/03/01
- Re: lynx-dev Javascript, Lalo Martins, 1999/03/01
- Re: lynx-dev Javascript, David Woolley, 1999/03/03
Re: lynx-dev Javascript, David Woolley, 1999/03/03