From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.2 (2018-09-13) on inbox.vuxu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.0 required=5.0 tests=HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS, MAILING_LIST_MULTI,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.2 Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (minnie.tuhs.org [45.79.103.53]) by inbox.vuxu.org (OpenSMTPD) with ESMTP id 0aa2fe2c for ; Fri, 16 Nov 2018 22:27:05 +0000 (UTC) Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id B8BFAA2709; Sat, 17 Nov 2018 08:27:04 +1000 (AEST) Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 034D7A26FF; Sat, 17 Nov 2018 08:26:48 +1000 (AEST) Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id 8DF18A26E7; Sat, 17 Nov 2018 08:26:46 +1000 (AEST) Received: from mail.bitblocks.com (ns1.bitblocks.com [173.228.5.8]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 02539A26E2 for ; Sat, 17 Nov 2018 08:26:18 +1000 (AEST) Received: from bitblocks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mail.bitblocks.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id A8363156E40C; Fri, 16 Nov 2018 14:25:56 -0800 (PST) From: Bakul Shah To: Paul Winalski In-reply-to: Your message of "Fri, 16 Nov 2018 11:55:28 -0500." References: <201811160003.wAG03mlF139232@tahoe.cs.Dartmouth.EDU> <20181116045016.GK3341@mcvoy.com> <7a632484-cdc7-7c59-7077-7a2c752045da@spamtrap.tnetconsulting.net> Comments: In-reply-to Paul Winalski message dated "Fri, 16 Nov 2018 11:55:28 -0500." MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-ID: <61588.1542407156.1@bitblocks.com> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2018 14:25:56 -0800 Message-Id: <20181116222603.A8363156E40C@mail.bitblocks.com> Subject: Re: [TUHS] man-page style X-BeenThere: tuhs@minnie.tuhs.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.20 Precedence: list List-Id: The Unix Heritage Society mailing list List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Cc: tuhs@minnie.tuhs.org, Grant Taylor Errors-To: tuhs-bounces@minnie.tuhs.org Sender: "TUHS" On Fri, 16 Nov 2018 11:55:28 -0500 Paul Winalski = wrote: > On 11/16/18, Grant Taylor via TUHS wrote: > > > > I think man pages make a great reference. But I don't think they are = a > > good teaching source for someone that doesn't know the material or wha= t > > the components are for. > > > I agree with Grant. If you want to know what a particular command > does and what its options are, man pages are fantastic. If you are a > new or casual user trying to find out what command(s) to use to > accomplish a particular task, the man pages are an exercise in > frustration and futility. = When I first came to Unix, I read man pages for every one of the commands in /bin and experimented with them and tried out various options. Being a fan of recursion the first thing I tried was "man man"! Then I went through all the man pages in other section to learn about libc functions, special devices and so on. I knew about "apropos" (though don't recall if it was in v7) but I didn't really use it all that much. Or the inverted index. I tend to think software has more in common with carpentry than science or engineering and like all good craftsman, knowing how to use all the tools in your workshop is essential. If you get lucky you get to be an apprentice to a good mentor but I didn't have that luxury in a startup. > Other OSes have done a better job in that > area (the VMS and DTSS HELP commands come to mind). IMO ideally one > should have both--a generalized "help" command for those trying to > find out what command to use, and "man" as reference material. UNIX > and Linux have never had a proper help facility. Or at least I never > was able to find it. I had usd VMS befoe Unix. Not for long but I don't recall its help facility being particularly superior. Each of us learns differently so there is no one true style.