Lynx, an SEO tool

[debtboy]

Linux distros come with Lynx (text only browser).

Surfing w/ Lynx gives you the same perspective
as googlebot, Yahoobot, etc...

In addition, Lynx has nearly 100 command line options.
and the ability to redirect the output.
When you pipe the output, this data can be culled
down to produce all kinds of specific information.

Any of you SEO guys use Lynx

[chris.p]

Yes, Lynx is useful. But not half as much as it's made out to be.

A plain source-code view is probably better. Depends what you're looking for. It's true that a text view is useful - of course - but the code tells you even more. If it's your own site you're working on, you could look at fixing various stuff in the header, see what scripting there is, what code layout is used, and tons of other stuff. Can't see any of that with Lynx.

Nice that you get it with no hassle on Linux though - and the full version of course, not the cut down job in the Ffx plugin, which probably also has security issues. Lots of Ffx plugins have security issues, they should just say "Here's your free widget complete with phone-home bug".

[debtboy]

Originally Posted by chris.p

Yes, Lynx is useful. But not half as much as it's made out to be.

A plain source-code view is probably better. Depends what you're looking for. It's true that a text view is useful - of course - but the code tells you even more. If it's your own site you're working on, you could look at fixing various stuff in the header, see what scripting there is, what code layout is used, and tons of other stuff. Can't see any of that with Lynx.

Nice that you get it with no hassle on Linux though - and the full version of course, not the cut down job in the Ffx plugin, which probably also has security issues. Lots of Ffx plugins have security issues, they should just say "Here's your free widget complete with phone-home bug".

Awesome,
I thought this thread would never get a reply

I believe the real advantage of Lynx is seen when the
output is piped into another program/command like grep
and that output is redirected to a file or database.

I do understand the need to see source code tags, css, js, etc...
and wget is used for that.
(an example of wget can be seen in my command line thread)

Not a big advantage, to someone with a trained eye like yourself,
but the ability to catalog any code or content specs you wish
from a website, domain or multiple domains in just a few seconds has it's value.
You could compare the collected specs against your ideal template
and you can identify weak spots automatically and rate a site
all within seconds.

Thanks for the reply chris

[chris.p]

Wow, that's well techie. Too much for my old brain, I'm just an old geezer with a spanner...

Maybe one day I'll figure all that out

I guess what we need in my shop is some young bloke who knows what all that stuff is about. And all that social stuff too. Yeah, all that Mybook and Facespace stuff.

Still trying to work out what this Twatter is all about.

[debtboy]

Originally Posted by chris.p

And all that social stuff too. Yeah, all that Mybook and Facespace stuff.

Still trying to work out what this Twatter is all about.

That makes 2 of us.
I don't subscribe to any of that social stuff either...
but do like reading and posting on forums.
(especially if they have a Linux section )