Hello all, I currently don't have energy to continue with 1.x series of Arachne for DOS. I am working on entirely new multiplatform Arachne 2.x, which will be probably very different from 1.x, including CVS development of open source modules, network transparent file management abilities, etc. I am even thinking about adding some simple and powerful semi-anonymous, Napster-like file sharing mechanism.... together with IRC, ICQ, and other protocols. I really want Arachne to replace Norton commander/Midnight Commander/Windows commander class applications, ie. the basic small and robust system-management tool you are using every day. Such tool must IMHO include high quality HTML rendering and e-mail/FTP capability and more. It is not possible to challenge "big browsers" like MSIE or Mozilla, but by creating some simple modular architecture, we can create something people will really use as their everyday tool. Simply kind of desktop replacement. (it can include even special console with command line for those, who hate mouse ;-).
But this is future. This will take some time, definitely. Most Arachne users request new DOS version, and others are sending me tons of contributions. What about creating new Arachne release on your own ? (free registration key to anyone, who contributed, etc. ;-) (I want to replace registration key concept by selling printed documentation for Arachne anyway...) I have created FTP account "arachne-dist" with password "team" at "arachne.cz". The rest is up to you! (someone should probably upload raw 1.70 rev 3 package as something to start with; I don't have copy on this Linux box, and I have screwed my development directories a lot, to be true...I would have to download from server and unpack, probably ;-). This won't be CVS, so maybe someone should take care about upload conflicts. Changes are not stored in single text file, but rather in changes/ directory, so people are less likely to overwrite their changes file (use whatever namespace for your .txt files, like bernie01.txt, bernie02.txt, glenn01.txt...). Someone should also backup as soon as something is uploaded ;) 1.80 alpha package will be ZIP snapshot of this; I will create .EXE installator when it reaches 1.80 beta status. Feel free to update documentation, setup screens, sample ACF files, etc. Add yourself to about.htm if you contribute something important. Especially urgent modifications include: - replacement of EPPPD.EXE by LSPPP.EXE - updating WWWMAN and INSIGHT to latest versions - fixing spelling etc. of documentation - maybe adding patched CORE.EXE (?) - adding anything useful which won't prevent distribution package to fit on single floppy like now I will recompile executables when this distribution reaches beta status.
