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Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal"

From "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net>
Newsgroups linux.debian.user
Subject Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal"
Date 2016-11-18 11:10 +0100
Message-ID <sEOhk-5Ju-13@gated-at.bofh.it> (permalink)
References <sEN1U-4K5-3@gated-at.bofh.it>
Organization linux.* mail to news gateway

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Hi,

Greg Wooledge wrote:
> The only GNU project
> man page that is a complete reference document is bash(1), which is
> very, very different from the other GNU man pages.

There is at least one more. :))

GNU xorriso offers three man pages which have identical content as
the .info documents because they stem from the same .texi files.
(.texi to man is done by help of a special converter which relies on
 special comments in the .texi file.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

It is not easy to describe a program with many use cases and even
more particular settings and actions.

What lacks to my experience as confused reader and as best effort writer
is the user's view on the programs. man pages should document the details
and often do sufficiently.
But the user looks for solutions, not opportunities.

I can give some examples, not more. Users often surprise me with unexpected
views on their use case or with combinations which i never had imagined on
my own.

But ...


emetib wrote:
> why isn't it 'i will take an hour to update this little piece of
> documentation'. [man page or wiki]

>From the view of the developer it is not that easy.
It is very demanding to document a program which one does not know on
source level.

Every other year i get some proposal of overhauling the man pages.
But the technical knowledge behind those proposals normally does not
suffice for making a correct change in there.
Especially when submitters tried to get my phrasing more compliant to
the usual english language they submitted statements which were flatly
wrong.

That's why i rather hope for a separate tutorial, which relies on the
man pages for technical info, has only tested statements and examples,
and is open to technical corrections by me.
(No wonder nobody feels motivated to do it.)

Until then i can only invite users to ask for clarifications at
bug-xorriso@gnu.org.


Have a nice day :)

Thomas

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Thread

Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2016-11-16 15:20 +0100
  Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-11-16 16:00 +0100
    Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Jonathan Dowland <jmtd@debian.org> - 2016-11-16 16:20 +0100
      Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-11-16 19:40 +0100
        Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Jonathan Dowland <jmtd@debian.org> - 2016-11-17 13:20 +0100
          Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-11-17 15:30 +0100
            Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Jonathan Dowland <jmtd@debian.org> - 2016-11-17 15:50 +0100
    Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2016-11-17 15:50 +0100
      Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-11-17 17:40 +0100
      Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Curt <curty@free.fr> - 2016-11-17 18:10 +0100
      Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" kamaraju kusumanchi <raju.mailinglists@gmail.com> - 2016-11-22 06:40 +0100
  Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2016-11-16 16:40 +0100
    Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2016-11-17 16:00 +0100
      Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" "John L. Ries" <jries@salford-systems.com> - 2016-11-17 19:00 +0100
        Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2016-11-17 22:40 +0100
        Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2016-11-17 22:40 +0100
        Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" rhkramer@gmail.com - 2016-11-18 00:10 +0100
      Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2016-11-17 22:30 +0100
        Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2016-11-17 22:40 +0100
          Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2016-11-17 22:40 +0100
            Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2016-11-17 23:00 +0100
              Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Reco <recoverym4n@gmail.com> - 2016-11-18 09:20 +0100
          Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" rhkramer@gmail.com - 2016-11-18 00:10 +0100
  Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" emetib <chadbrabec@gmail.com> - 2016-11-18 09:50 +0100
    Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2016-11-18 10:40 +0100
    Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2016-11-18 11:10 +0100
      Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" emetib <chadbrabec@gmail.com> - 2016-11-18 20:30 +0100
      Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") cbannister@slingshot.co.nz - 2016-12-29 15:10 +0100
        Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2016-12-29 19:10 +0100
        Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2016-12-29 19:10 +0100
          Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Catherine Gramze <rhiamom@gmail.com> - 2016-12-29 19:40 +0100
            Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2016-12-29 19:40 +0100
            Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2016-12-29 19:40 +0100
              Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Catherine Gramze <rhiamom@gmail.com> - 2016-12-29 19:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2016-12-30 02:40 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") rhkramer@gmail.com - 2016-12-30 03:30 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-30 03:40 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Greg Wooledge <wooledg@eeg.ccf.org> - 2016-12-30 15:40 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A Modest Proposal") Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2016-12-30 18:00 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A Modest Proposal") Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2016-12-30 15:40 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") rhkramer@gmail.com - 2016-12-30 15:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") rhkramer@gmail.com - 2016-12-30 15:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-30 16:00 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") John Hasler <jhasler@newsguy.com> - 2016-12-30 17:20 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2016-12-31 08:30 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2016-12-31 09:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-31 10:40 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Catherine Gramze <rhiamom@gmail.com> - 2016-12-31 17:20 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2017-01-01 13:00 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2017-01-01 13:20 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2017-01-01 14:00 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Nemeth Gyorgy <friczy@freemail.hu> - 2016-12-31 10:40 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2016-12-31 12:00 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2017-01-01 12:40 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2017-01-01 14:10 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2017-01-01 19:10 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2017-01-01 20:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-01-01 15:10 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? "Thomas Schmitt" <scdbackup@gmx.net> - 2017-01-01 20:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-01-02 02:10 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2017-01-02 02:30 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2017-01-02 16:00 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? rhkramer@gmail.com - 2017-01-02 17:30 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2017-01-02 18:20 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? rhkramer@gmail.com - 2017-01-02 18:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? Eike Lantzsch <zp6cge@gmx.net> - 2017-01-01 18:00 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2017-01-01 19:30 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") rhkramer@gmail.com - 2016-12-31 15:20 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2017-01-01 12:40 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A Modest Proposal") David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2017-01-02 15:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") rhkramer@gmail.com - 2017-01-02 17:20 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A Modest Proposal") David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2017-01-02 18:10 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") rhkramer@gmail.com - 2017-01-02 18:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Jörg-Volker Peetz <jvpeetz@web.de> - 2017-01-02 19:10 +0100
        Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2016-12-30 02:40 +0100
          Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-30 03:30 +0100
            Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") deloptes <deloptes@gmail.com> - 2016-12-30 18:30 +0100
              Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A Modest Proposal") Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2017-01-01 12:40 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A Modest Proposal") Nicolas George <george@nsup.org> - 2017-01-01 12:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") deloptes <deloptes@gmail.com> - 2017-01-01 14:10 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A Modest Proposal") Nicolas George <george@nsup.org> - 2017-01-01 15:10 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") deloptes <deloptes@gmail.com> - 2017-01-01 16:40 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A Modest Proposal") Nicolas George <george@nsup.org> - 2017-01-01 17:20 +0100
                [OT] on education [was]: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") deloptes <deloptes@gmail.com> - 2017-01-01 20:40 +0100
                Re: [OT] on education [was]: Do have programs have poor  documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Nicolas George <george@nsup.org> - 2017-01-01 23:50 +0100
                Re: [OT] on education [was]: Do have programs have poor  documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Joel Rees <joel.rees@gmail.com> - 2017-01-02 01:30 +0100
              Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Rob van der Putten <rob@sput.nl> - 2017-03-12 17:50 +0100
            Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2016-12-31 08:30 +0100
              Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-31 10:30 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2017-01-01 13:00 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2017-01-01 13:00 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2017-01-01 13:30 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") deloptes <deloptes@gmail.com> - 2017-01-01 14:20 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2017-01-01 18:00 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <xen@dds.nl> - 2017-01-01 20:10 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A Modest Proposal") Bob Holtzman <holtzm@cox.net> - 2017-01-02 20:40 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A Modest Proposal") cbannister@slingshot.co.nz - 2017-03-11 10:00 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Martin Read <zen75502@zen.co.uk> - 2017-03-11 12:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") deloptes <deloptes@gmail.com> - 2017-03-11 14:30 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2017-03-11 19:30 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A  Modest Proposal") Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2017-03-13 13:10 +0100
          Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Catherine Gramze <rhiamom@gmail.com> - 2016-12-30 04:40 +0100
            Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Xen <list@xenhideout.nl> - 2016-12-31 08:40 +0100
          Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-30 12:40 +0100
            Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2016-12-30 13:30 +0100
              Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? --  "A  Modest Proposal") Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> - 2016-12-30 15:50 +0100
            Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") rhkramer@gmail.com - 2016-12-30 15:50 +0100
              Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") deloptes <deloptes@gmail.com> - 2016-12-30 20:50 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-31 00:20 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") deloptes <deloptes@gmail.com> - 2016-12-31 01:10 +0100
                Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal") Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-12-31 01:50 +0100
                [OT] Antikythera mechanism [was Re: Do have programs have poor  documentation?] Miles Fidelman <mfidelman@meetinghouse.net> - 2016-12-31 03:20 +0100
                Re: [OT] Antikythera mechanism [was Re: Do have programs have poor documentation?] deloptes <deloptes@gmail.com> - 2016-12-31 10:20 +0100
        Re: Do have programs have poor documentation? (was ... Re: Why? -- "A  Modest Proposal") Rob van der Putten <rob@sput.nl> - 2017-03-11 22:50 +0100
  Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" kamaraju kusumanchi <raju.mailinglists@gmail.com> - 2016-11-22 07:10 +0100
    Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Darac Marjal <mailinglist@darac.org.uk> - 2016-11-22 13:00 +0100
    Re: Why? -- "A Modest Proposal" Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> - 2016-11-22 13:30 +0100

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