Any scripts can be incorporated into a larger whole. You just need to incorporate the correct calls into the search.cgi so that it searches the local databse, plus whatever else you'd want.

The problem with the Anaconda scripts, is that they are unmaintainable. This is why I have wondered if there is a group here that would like to try to develop a project that would cross search various sites.

The way Links works with the 'engine' and the ability to put scripts around it, and plug in, is what Anaconda has done. They have a core set of calls, and then a variety of plug ins.

I have a very strong feeling against using anything you can't get into the source code for, because you are dependent on them for upgrades. If they delay an upgrade, or things change such as they get bought out or go out of business, your income stream is compromised. Sometimes it's much worse to have your income stream cut off, than to not have it in place to begin with.

Think about what would happen if you depended on nn dollars a month from your addon, and your traffic was because you provided that service. Now, the site that the information was from changed their format, and the program no longer provided good data. You could not get into the code to make the fixes, and the company was in the process of being bought out or getting something else done, and during this time you lost half your customers, and almost all your revenue stream. Not a pretty picture.

With Links, you've licensed the code, but you can make the changes you need to to keep it working -- and as everyone is aware -- delays at the company's end, does not mean that your code can't be supported by other users.

This is not possible with "obfuscated" or pre-compiled source scripts.

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