From: raymondc@microsoft.com (Raymond Chen) Subject: An elisp package to browse the comp.os.linux archives Date: 07 Jun 1993 16:42:24 GMT
The good folks at tsx-11 have done such a great job at archiving the
back-issues of the Linux-Activists list (also known as comp.os.linux)
that I figured they deserved to have a cool browser. So I wrote one.
I've found it quite useful. Helped my figure out how to get the arrow
keys to work in my emacs session without having to post the question
to the newsgroup. Saved me lots of embarrassment. :-)
The following patch kit contains two files, `lxbrowse.el' and `mklxindex'.
The latter is a perl script which builds the indexes; the former is
an elisp script that uses the index to browse the archives.
To install...
0. Install emacs and perl first. (Arguably the hard part. :-) )
If you didn't put perl into /bin/perl, change the first line of
mklxindex to match.
1. Unpack the patch in any convenient directory.
2. Type `mklxindex' with no arguments to see the instructions for
the perl half of the installation.
The instructions are different depending on whether you are the
administrator of an archive site or are a mere human being.
3. Read the comments at the top of lxbrowse.el to see what sort of
customization you may need to do on the emacs end. Pay particular
attention to the stuff marked YOU WILL PROBABLY NEED TO CHANGE
THIS and YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO CHANGE THIS.
4. Load lxbrowse.el, then type `M-x lxbrowse', tell it which volume
you want to browse, and have fun. The only command is `f' to
(f)ind a thread.
5. Don't get too attached to the format of the index files.
I'm changing them. See ``FUTURE PLANS''.
6. Send feedback to raymondc@microsoft.com. Feedback of the form ``you
idiot, you didn't need to write this; look at package BLAH'' is
particularly helpful, since it saves me a lot of work!
Have fun.