Re: Problems to get larger user base ... (Re: [Caml-list] OCaml's variables)

[Anil Madhavapeddy <anil@recoil.org>]

On 28 May 2013, at 19:32, "Mr. Herr" <misterherr@freenet.de> wrote:

> 
> Am 28.05.2013 03:15, schrieb Francois Berenger:
>> On 05/28/2013 06:10 AM, Mr. Herr wrote:
>>> 
>>> Am 27.05.2013 22:36, schrieb Török Edwin:
>>>> On 05/27/2013 11:21 PM, Mr. Herr wrote:
>>>>> Am 27.05.2013 10:37, schrieb Fabrice Le Fessant:
>>>>>> Note that it does not need to be done by the OCaml developers themselves,
>>>>>> anybody can create a project on Github/Gitorious/etc. and start writing some
>>>>>> documentation on  a module that he likes and have it published somewhere...
>>>>> hint, hint! Yes, sure. I was looking for tools that would insert the example
>>>>> code into the document, run it, and insert the result as well, some sort of
>>>>> advanced literate programming.
>>>> If you are writing some documentation in HTML then Stog's ocaml sessions might
>>>> be useful:
>>>> http://zoggy.github.io/stog/posts/ocaml-sessions.html
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> Okay, let's see, it is not in GODI, have to check it.
>> 
>> stog is in OPAM at least, if that help:
>> 
>> 
> hmm, I tried OPAM, but it installed without choice in my home directory. This is
> normally a MS win habit. Linux is a server, there must be a server wide install somehow.
> 
> I posed one question about it, got no answer, and concluded it is a toy system.
> 
> Am I too harsh? I think it should (and could) be easier for starters.

Let's step back and decompose your email:

"easier for starters": OPAM doesn't require root, and installs in $HOME/.opam.  All state is in here, so it's easy to reset.  It's hard to get easier than this out-of-the-box.

Yet you object earlier that ease of use is not a goal by somehow thinking that "Linux is a server".  Note that OPAM is a *source* package manager intended for day-to-day development, and does not replace the excellent binary Debs and RPMs maintained by OS packagers.  OPAM fits the needs of a developer who needs to pin and recompile libraries and packages frequently.

If you 'man opam' and read the resulting page, notice that there is a "-r ROOT" option to override the default `~/.opam` directory, or an equivalent OPAMROOT environment variable.  Both of these are sufficient to enable a system-wide install, assuming appropriate UNIX permissions.

Linux server administration does require you to read manual pages and hunt around a little for most things, and perhaps write a few shell scripts to glue stuff together. Should I conclude that you're a toy developer from your inability to read the man page?

-anil