From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Jun 4 21:02:29 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4D5DB106564A for ; Thu, 4 Jun 2009 21:02:29 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: from gizmo.acns.msu.edu (gizmo.acns.msu.edu [35.8.1.43]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E4AAE8FC1C for ; Thu, 4 Jun 2009 21:02:28 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: from gizmo.acns.msu.edu (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by gizmo.acns.msu.edu (8.13.6/8.13.6) with ESMTP id n54L07O8033341; Thu, 4 Jun 2009 17:00:07 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from jerrymc@gizmo.acns.msu.edu) Received: (from jerrymc@localhost) by gizmo.acns.msu.edu (8.13.6/8.13.6/Submit) id n54L06YZ033340; Thu, 4 Jun 2009 17:00:06 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from jerrymc) Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2009 17:00:06 -0400 From: Jerry McAllister To: Robert Huff Message-ID: <20090604210006.GA33278@gizmo.acns.msu.edu> References: <8BA60025-A005-4E38-9D5E-A9C11AB3C17C@strauser.com> <20090604173535.984e32d6.freebsd@edvax.de> <20090604174510.GA32547@gizmo.acns.msu.edu> <18984.11239.817035.710659@jerusalem.litteratus.org> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <18984.11239.817035.710659@jerusalem.litteratus.org> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.2i X-Mailman-Approved-At: Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:39:09 +0000 Cc: Jerry McAllister , Wojciech Puchar , Polytropon , "freebsd-questions@freebsd.org" , utisoft@gmail.com Subject: Re: Date representation as YY/DDD or YYYY/DDD X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:02:29 -0000 On Thu, Jun 04, 2009 at 04:17:43PM -0400, Robert Huff wrote: > > Wojciech Puchar writes: > > > > Well, man pages are good at formally documenting the how > > > of use, but they often are not so helpful on the why and > > > wherefor of use. > > > > for me it's exactly for this - to know how and why to use. > > It is important to understand "man" is a _reference_, not a > _tutorial_. It's great if you need to refresh your memory of the Yes, I know. That is why some other additional for is also useful. I don't really propose changing man, but do often wish for some other form. Info does that a little, but still is often inadequate for some comprehension of the why and wherefor of something that I have never mucked with. I am not sure a 'tutorial' is it either because they tend to take a person through a couple of particular tasks using the item in question, but still not discuss much of the why and wherefor. ////jerry > "q" flag, or check for exit codes, or check the order of parameters > to the _fillintheblank() library call. But if you're trying to > figure out how to do X, or even how to do X correctly using this > object ... many of the pages can leave you with the feeling you're > stupider than you actually are. > Being a tutorial may not be what "man" was designed for. But > until there's a designated and widely promoted text-only replacement > it will be used as one. > > > Robert Huff >