search-linuxkb progress report

["Hugo Rabson" <hugo@www.nashville-now.com>]

I'm midway through flowcharting search-linuxkb. I would be coding it right
now, had I not accidentally hosed my Linux installation. I don't have my
RH6.1 CD at the moment & am having to download the RedHat tree via ISDN
modem. (Remind me to buy a CD-writer.) I backed up /root and /home before
the accidental hosing, so very little harm was done.

The commands available when calling search-linuxkb will be:-

# search-linuxkb --list (--simple|--advanced) (--wholepage|--programs)

...retrieve the simple/advanced search engine web page; write all / programs
to stdout
('programs' = the programs listed in a dropbox on the web page)

# search-linuxkb --search (--simple|--advanced) \
(--allmatch|--anymatch|--boolean) (--programs="...,...,...") <expression>

...retrieve the search engine's web page; concoct the appropriate POST
string (?a=b&c=d&...); call the web page with said string; format results;
write to stdout

To keep unnecessary hits to a minimum, the script will keep a copy of the
simple and advanced search pages. When a search page is requested, its copy
will be used if less than an hour old; otherwise, it will be updated.

I wish I had more time. The trouble is, business is too good. :-) I can't
wait for Jan 2000, when things will be calmer.