Baslinux mailing list

[qwms-avib AT dea.spamcon.org]

sindi keesan wrote:
> 
> I just want to have increased chances of find precompiled 
> later versions, or even precompiled versions in general, 

Because Linux is open source, it is more common to provide
source-code, rather than binaries.  That way people can
compile a version that matches their system precisely.
Distributions provide binaries (to enable easy installation
by their users).  But, other than that, most software is
provided as source-code or (sometimes) as a RedHat-compatible
binary package.  

> I am using Lynx 2.8.5 for DOS for over a year now.  

DOS was different.  Almost everything was provide as a
binary (it was *very* rare to see DOS source-code).  So
when a new DOS version comes out, it is normally released 
as a binary.  

> I need the latest Opera in order to be able to access 
> websites that won't work with Lynx or an older Opera, 

Opera is not the only option.  links2 may do what you need.
It doesn't even need X to run.

> They said there was some security problem in 2.1 and I 
> should upgrade.  

There are security holes in most of the old stuff.  New
ones are being discovered all the time.  Anybody running
a sensitive server exposed to the outside world should 
be using the very latest version of everything and should 
keep up-to-date with all security alerts.  However, this 
doesn't apply to BasicLinux, which is not designed as a 
server.  BasicLinux has no network servers -- only clients.
It is not at risk (unless you install a server and expose 
it to the internet).

> You obviously did not need Kermit or Lynx 2.8.4.

There are versions of Kermit and Lynx that work fine on
BL2 (and BL1 for that matter).  They may not be the most
up-to-date versions, but I don't mind.

Cheers,
Steven