=============================
Version history for LinksBoks
=============================

2005-04-16: version 0.99 "Marmitopter"
--------------------------------------

This release features a major architecture change, the browser itself is now
packaged as a library (the "engine"); the actual app as you know it is simply
the first and only "host" application of this library (exluding the "Embedded
Sample" included in the source package). Apart from these "behind the scenes"
change, no major visual changes (sorry) for end users after this long idle
period, but anyways, here's the list, splitted into 2 groups to reflect the now
separated entities, the "engine" and the "host" application:

ENGINE:
- Rewrote the async DNS lookup system (no useless threads).
- Fixed a small bug in the graphics driver which happens not so often but leads
  to a crash.
- Fixed some of the display glitches (thin non-redrawed lines) during scrolling.
- Slowed down the "normal" scrolling speed.
- Increased default text size in pages to 18. Can be changed in the Options.
- Restored the original, generic menu options.
- Included a patch by Vedran Ljubovic from links-list mailing list which fixes
  minor bugs that prevented logging into Hotmail (but you can't do much in it
  because it's full of unsupported Javascript).

APPLICATION:
- You now can specify your network settings (either static or DHCP) in the
  Options Manager instead of relying on the dashboard (SEE NOTES BELOW).
- Basic Flash (.swf files) player with interaction (SEE NOTES BELOW).
- Slightly more useful help system (Help>About) with a brand new "Network Status
  and Troubleshoot" page to help fixing connection issues.
- Improved Keyboard/mouse support.
- New option: deadzone for gamepad thumbsticks. Adjust if you have drifting
  mouse pointer problems.
- Because of the now lacking menu entry, Video calibration can be accessed at
  any time with the BACK button (text entry mode now only available with a left
  thumbstick "click").

RELEASE NOTES:
- To reconfigure your network, go to the Options Manager, "Xbox-specific
  options>Network settings, and change the first option to "Yes". There are
  basic checks for the IP addresses values but you can easily make the program
  crash on startup (during the splash screen) if you're not careful. In that
  case just delete your "options" file or edit it manually. Remember you have a
  Network Status and Troubleshoot page to help with network-related problems.
- The Flash player is basically the same as the one I released some time ago
  ("swfx"), I upgraded to the latest GPLFlash version though. However, A LOT OF
  ANIMATIONS WON'T WORK WELL OR AT ALL, so you've been warned. And it loads the
  entire movie in memory (no streaming), so you may experience crashes with big
  files. Parsing can also be long, wait at least 20-30 seconds if it freezes on
  load.
  To test it, load a .swf file from your hard drive or a web page (usually as
  "[EMBED]" hyperlinks), and choose "Open". The animation is displayed over the
  LinksBoks window in a "separate" player, not directly in the page yet.
  The key/button bindings while playing Flash are as follows:
        =Gamepad=             =Action=              =USB mouse/kbd=
      left stick/A     Move pointer and click            Mouse
            B                   Exit                     Escape
            Y               Pause/unpause                  P
          White                Rewind                      R
          Start             Enter keypress               Enter
          Black                 Next                      Tab
          D-pad            Keyboard arrows             Arrow keys
			

PLANNED FOR 1.0 RELEASE:
- Extending the library (more bindings and control over the engine).
- Making the engine free all its resources and be startable again after a stop,
  and handling of several windows (make another sample application to test).
- Making the library thread-safe if it's not (make some tests).
- Sound in the Flash player :)
- IR remote support in the host app.
- Rewriting the internationalization system, making it available to the host
  application, actually using it as much as possible, and updating the
  translations (with your help).
- Writing a decent key/button binding page to display in the help system.
And maybe:
- Finally take care of the still unstable FTP protocol.
- Merge the many changes from main Links2 branch.
- Some more GUI improvements in the host app.
- ?...



2004-06-08: version 0.92 "Dr. Zoidberg Edition"
-----------------------------------------------

- Added SSL support! (*warning* read notes below).
- Reenabled Links' Javascript engine (read notes below).
- Fixed a horrible bug that was the reason for most of the lockups and freezes
  (sockets were staying in "blocking" mode). Expect more stability & speed from
  this version.
- Reimplemented the file: protocol. You can now browse your hard drive!
  Additionally, browsing to the "empty" URL shows up the "root" directory
  containing your available hard disc drives (instead of crashing :p).
- Fixed: big, non-interlaced GIF files weren't rendered correctly, for example
  the top banner on xbox-scene (that one was a bitch: had to turn off an
  "optimization" that doesn't work here).
- Rebuilded fonts, some (punctuation) characters weren't rendered.
- Added options to bypass detection of supported HDTV modes, under "User
  interface > Xbox-specific options > Video modes". Your can disable HDTV
  completely, or skip 1080i or 720p to get the mode you want. The sequence
  being: 1080i?->720p?->480p?->NTSC, you can (for example) get 480p by
  disabling both 1080i and 720p. Easy!
- Increased screen refresh rates to make mouse and scrolling a bit smoother.
- You can now change the font size quickly with up/down directions on the d-pad
  while in video calibration mode (Setup>Video calibration).
- You can scroll in the treeview-based dialogs (Options/Bookmark managers)
  using the right thumbstick or the mouse wheel.
- Upgraded to VS.net 2003 and the lastest XDK, and finally made the thing
  compile in Release configuration (more optimized & compact code).
- Increased max border size in the Video calibration mode from 100 to 125
  (you can always go beyond that by entering the values manually in the Options)
- Various bugfixes as usual.
- Updated documentation a bit.
- A nice logo/icon, and a new Web site!

KNOWN BUGS/RELEASE NOTES for this version:
- SSL support means you can now browse HTTPS sites with an encrypted connection,
  but security is NOT guaranteed! More info in the README.txt file, "Is browsing
  SSL-enabled sites with LinksBoks secure?" section.
- Yes, Links' Javascript engine is here, but it's disabled by default as it
  creates more problems than it solves. Remember this engine is highly
  experimental and very incomplete. Don't expect it to run anything but the
  simplest scripts (if you're lucky).
  If you still want to try it, enable it in "Document > Javascript options".
  You might want to enable the verbose errors too as the script is "killed" at
  the first error.
- Didn't have time to fix the FTP protocol, sorry :/



2004-03-21: version 0.91 "Lemmiwinks Edition"
---------------------------------------------

- You asked for it: USB keyboard/mouse support (see notes below)
  Done without the hardware :)
  Thanks to sebel19 from the gueux forums for testing this out.
- Downloads to disk are now working!
  The default download directory is X:\, it can be changed, check the
  Options manager. D: is mapped to the LinksBoks directory, not the DVD.
- HDTV should work now (still untested though)
- Added some options to the Options manager: look in "User interface"
- Video calibration screen (Setup menu>Video calibration) to adjust your margins
  easily. Don't forget to save your options afterwards!
- Options can now be saved :). Delete your existing links.cfg & options files.
- Fixed the scrolling glitch in the tree-based dialogs.
- Changed some mappings in Navigation Mode
  (B=ESC on keyboard, Y=close current tab/cancel dialog/exit)
- Clicking left thumbstick changes input mode as well as BACK
- D-pad has a (configurable) repeat rate now.

KNOWN BUGS/RELEASE NOTES for this version:
- ftp:, file: protocols are still broken. Expect the 'LINKSBOKS CRASHED!' 
  screens you've seen before.
- About the keyboard: only the US layout is supported. Supporting other
  layouts implies doing the key <-> ascii code mappings by hand, and I'll
  _never_ do this myself, sorry.
- Extra buttons on Intellimouses should normally do back/forward.
- It seems the Javascript engine would be a pain in the ass to reenable, so it 
  might stay off :/. It's rather weak anyway, you would be disappointed.
- Flash/Java support is basically not possible, so stop asking please :).



2004-03-07: version 0.9 PUBLIC BETA
-----------------------------------

- Initial release.

This is a pre-release of v1.0, aimed at testing LinksBoks on a large scale. 
Please report any problems that aren't covered here. Note that the HTML 
rendering engine works fine as far as I know, I won't work on it. So if it 
doesn't meet your expectations, enhance it yourself, or run GentooX or whatever 
and fire up Mozilla or Konqueror.

KNOWN BUGS (don't complain about them)/RELEASE NOTES for this version :
- FTP is broken;
- Downloads (saving to disk) are disabled/broken;
- There is no way to input accented characters (too lazy :p);
- Some GIF images are messed up, for example the top banner on xbox-scene
  (too lazy too, I'll look into it);
- HTTPS support is disabled (planned for next release);
- The built-in Javascript engine is disabled (wouldn't compile and it was not
  on my top-priority list... it might be eventually reenabled some day)
- No support for USB keyboard/IR/whatever for now, as I don't have those
- Need to clean up the code
- Leave out the options/displays that aren't useful or applicable on Xbox
- Replace the links-hacked internal documentation by something more appropriate
- Various other bugs I forgot about
