Re: lynx-dev bad link notice

[Dave Eaton]

On Wed, 23 Feb 2000, Webmaster Jim wrote:

> > There is an out of date hyperlink
> > at: 
> > http://www.slcc.edu/lynx/release2-8-2/lynx2-8-2/lynx_help/lynx_help_main.html
> > that points to the URL: http://www.access.digex.net/%7Easgilman/lynx/FAQ/
> > ...
>
> Since this is the "old" help document, and the link is changed to the
> FAQ-O-Matic in the current document, I'm not willing to go back and
> undo history.  Hopefully there are thousands of on-line copies of this
> page ;-)

However, a person most in need of "help" is likely not to know Lynx
history nor know that they should go look for scattered old copies of this
page. They most likely will assume someone created a bad link on the Lynx
page.

> Besides, Intermedia yanked Al's public interest pages with little
> warning after gobbling up Digex.  They can provide a forwarding address
> if they care to.

Unfortunately, to most folks reading the page, this problem reflects
badly on Lynx rather than on the host that pulled the referenced page.

Granted the page is supposed to be reflecting a "released" version bundle,
but it *is* the released version of record and the page in question is the
one linked directly from http://lynx.browser.org/ as the location for help
files.

The line under the bad one goes to "Lynx Links" (as that page's TITLE
says it is, tho its H1 says it is "Extremely Lynx") and the first entry
under "Of Interest" is a link to the FAQ-o-matic, so people can find the
current FAQ.

So all that would really be needed is to remove the one line linking to Al
Gilman's FAQs - a common practice on the Web. In my opinion, a visitor to
the Lynx Web site should be able to expect its Web page to be updated to
reflect this. Consider it a "patch" to 2.8.2 if you must - reissue the
2.8.2 tarball with a modified version notation if you feel you need to.

In either event, such an update will serve to improve Lynx's image, not
undermine it as a user of bad configuration management practices.

Regards,
 Dave Eaton
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