static S mechList_opt_raw_fresh(S name) {
  ifdef mechList_raw_fresh_debug
    print("mechList_raw_fresh :" + name);
  endifdef
  
  O readMode = mechMode().readMode;
  if (readMode instanceof File) {
    S md5Name = uniqueFileNameUsingMD5_80_v2(upper(name));
    ret loadTextFileFromZipFile((File) readMode, md5Name);
  }
  ifclass VirtualMechLists
  else if (readMode cast VirtualMechLists)
    ret readMode.mL_raw(name);
  endif

  bool useLocal = false, useRemote = true;
  if (eq(readMode, 'mergeLocalAndRemote))
    useLocal = true;
  else if (eq(readMode, 'local)) {
    useLocal = true; useRemote = false;
  }
   
  S s = "";
  
  if (useRemote) {
    if (eq(mechMode().readMode, 'localCopies))
      s = unnull(loadTextFile(remoteMechListMirrorFile(name)));
    else
      s = serverMechList_raw_fresh(name, true);
  }
  
  if (useLocal)
    s = appendNewLineIfNempty(s) + localMechList_opt_raw_fresh(name);
  
  ret s;
}

Began life as a copy of #1014030