Fwd: [Links] rendering question

[Philip Ganchev]

On 10/9/06, Kali McLaughlin <kali at flowtrack.com.au> wrote:
[...]
> ....Very interesting. Ubuntu must come with precompiled binaries.
> I am running an old laptop (Toshiba 430) and a relatively small fast linux
> Slackware 4.0  (which uses kernel 2.2.4)
> As a result I had to complile Links from source code and with some help
> got links2.1(prerelease17)  to compile with javascript and SSL, but no
> graphics. I can use it to do internet banking so I figure it works.

The beauty of Links!

> My website problem is with submission of some pulldown menu selections.
> for example, on the site http://www.abc.net.au/rn there is a dropdown menu
> to select programs of interest. The dropdown works, the selection works,
> but the browser wont go there!

As I understand, the Javascript code on this page is broken.  To see
this, select the "Setup" menu, "Javascript options" item. Turn on the
"Verbose javascript errors" and "Verbose javascript warnings", then
try to load the page again. Many messages will pop up.  (It is
terrible user interface design to print errors and warnings in a
dialog box -- the user must close each box before continuing to
browse.  The UI efficiency of an OK box is 0.)

The website works if you disable Javascript, which you can do from the
"Javascript options" dialog box.

Firefox seems to deal with the broken Javascript, but that does not
mean that it is standards compliant.  It would be nice if  Links could
too, but I would not think that working around website bugs is a
priority for Links.

I wish wbesites would be more friendly to smaller browsers like Links;
like write correct code and not use javascript at all if it is not
needed!  Many sites use Javascript and Flash in a way that actually
worsens the usability of the site.

> > > My only continuing problems with Links has been the execution of some
> > > javascript functions and wonder if this is simply that my version is out
> > > of date.
> > > What has happened with version 22? The Xbox crowd seem to have
> > > commandeered it....
> .....red face time: I eventually found www.twibright.com and the listings
> of later versions of Links.

Which functions?

> > Do you mean 2.2 or 2.1pre22?  No idea.  All I can see in the archives
> > is 2.0 and a lot of 2.1pre- versions.
>
> Yes, I see them now. I might have a go at compiling prerelease23 when
> brave. The difficulty is getting the configure program to find my openssl
> libraries. Last time I had to set $CPPFLAGS and other obscure settings.
[...]

I did not set any flags, but I also do not remember if I got SSL to
work.  I dont' want to fiddle with this now.  If you do try it, let us
know how it works.