Re: Man pages missing

["Karl E. Vogel" <vogelke@c17mis.region2.wpafb.af.mil>]

>> On Fri, 31 Jan 1997 12:51:15 +0000 (GMT), 
>> Zefram <zefram@dcs.warwick.ac.uk> said:

Z> For me, it's much more effective to have all the documentation in one place,
Z> and browse it with my preferred pager.  Hypertext just gets in the way of
Z> the information, and there still isn't a hypertext system that formats to
Z> look as good as man pages.

   Exactly.  Hypertext is fine when you're already familiar with most of what
   you're looking at, and all you need is to zoom in on a topic when more
   details are needed.

Z> And have you ever tried to read `all the documentation' on some subject,
Z> when said documentation is arranged as an arbitrary directed graph of fifty
Z> nodes of two pages each?

   Yes, and it drives me nuts.  That's when I either look for or create a
   PostScript version of the entire document.  It's generally easy to print
   them double-sided on HP LaserJets without fiddling with the printer console,
   and if I don't need to keep it, there's always a recycle bin around.

   I've never seen any hypertext system which lets me flip around as quickly or
   as easily as a 3-ring binder.  However, without a good keyword or concept
   index, it doesn't matter if the documentation is printed or not; I probably
   won't be able to find what I want either way.

-- 
Karl Vogel                                          vogelke@c17.wpafb.af.mil
ASC/YCOA, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433	                937-255-3688