Re: [OFFTOPIC] Info files vs Man pages

[Joe Buck <jbuck at synopsys dot com>]

As for Lynx vs info: yes, Lynx could be improved.  Its table layout
algorithm sucks; there's a much better one in GNU gtbl/groff.  Just
the same, Lynx has more users than info and more people would benefit
if Lynx is improved.

> > The only extension that people have been asking for is the ability to
> > search across multiple files; it would be possible to come up a convention
> > to use META tags for this purpose (to mark the URL corresponding to
> > the next file).
> 
> Well, if you look at texi2html-generated html, you will find it does
> emit navigation information in the links:

Terrific.  (I meant to say LINK tags, I didn't know they were already there).

> <TITLE>Kawa, the Java-based Scheme system - Features</TITLE>
> <link href="kawa_3.html" rel=Next>
> <link href="kawa_1.html" rel=Previous>
> <link href="kawa_toc.html" rel=ToC>

Then all you need for a "search across multiple files" command is to say
that if you get to the end and don't find the string, you fetch the link
named in a <link ... rel=Next> directive (or rel=Previous when searching
backwards).

Since this can be an expensive operation, it should be an option.  It
can either be a distinct command "Search across multiple files" or a
modifier to the existing search command.