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Classic Applications

MacLynx

Current Version: beta 1

MacLynx is a text-based Web browser that has its origins in the UNIX and DOS command-line worlds. Although this implementation of Lynx hasn't been updated since 1997, it's still a worthwhile download, especially for testing out web pages in a text-only environment on "Classic" Mac OS, which doesn't have a text-based, command line browser otherwise readily available. If you're a Web site developer with no UNIX access, you should download this now.

User Reviews

"I have been using MacLynx since the first 68K compatible alpha version. . . . It is great. In a nutshell:

"* It's as fast as you expect a text-based browser to be. On a 68K machine, that's important.

"* It's got some neat Mac-specific features, such as using InternetConfig (e.g. - automatically launch your favorite FTP program when you hit an "ftp" URL), can speak the text using PlainTalk, and "clickable links" (yes, you can actually click on the links in the text-window with your mouse to follow them!).

"But some hints from someone who has been using it for a while:

"* A lot of the CONFIG options have to be set by editing (with a text-editor) the lynx.cfg file. This is an unfortunate legacy of Lynx's development on Unix machines. Among the options you can only set by editing this file are your home page URL, the width and height of the text window, and the use of PlainTalk.

"* Not blatantly documented, but useful: if MacLynx "hangs" because it can't find a URL, simply type command-period (cmd-.) to break out (and quit) MacLynx.

"I use MacLynx every day to check the WWW quickly and relatively painlessly. It's a lot quicker, especially if the bandwidth-consuming graphics don't interest you."

—Juan Cabanela

"I love MacLynx! I use no other browser except when I must use https. If there were no MacLynx, I would be telnetting to a shell account every time I websurfed. I have been using Lynx since its beginning and am happy to optimize my web pages for it. The Mac version is no exception [in] its excellence and pure and sweet elegance (like honey)!"
—Yotam Gingold

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Also See . . .

Can't find what you're looking for? Try a search:

Also, if you have an older Mac, be sure to check out the "Classic" applications page for more options.

Finally, take a look at ALEMIA if you think you know that name of an application, but aren't quite sure.

Of Note . . .

No, I don't accept reviews anymore for these older applications. With the creation of this page in the Orchard's late 2005 redesign, I only accept reviews for currently-developed applications that work on Mac OS X (or later....whatever that might be!!).