Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 21:49:43 +0000 From: Brian Somers <brian@Awfulhak.org> To: Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au> Cc: Brian Somers <brian@Awfulhak.org>, committers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: sysctl descriptions Message-ID: <199901102149.VAA00631@keep.lan.Awfulhak.org> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Sun, 10 Jan 1999 10:07:25 PST." <199901101807.KAA07319@dingo.cdrom.com>
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> > FWIW, I back Pouls opinion. What's so special about sysctls that
> > makes them even need the description field in the first place - let
> > alone actually compiling it in ?
>
> What's special about them is that they are the presentation form of
> kernel tunable values. They're fronted directly to the user.
I don't see what the difference is between the use of sysctl and the
use of say kbdcontrol or mixer. If I want to find out how to use the
stuff that mixer changes, I ``man mixer''. Sysctl tweaks the way the
kernel behaves. If I want information, I ``man sysctl''.
[.....]
> What's wrong with writing manpages?
>
> - they're too bulky
> - sysctl(1) doesn't know about them
> - experience shows they're never updated in sync, regardless of
> "responsibility"
> - many items don't need that much verbiage
>
> just off the top of my head.
If you've got problems with troff etc, this isn't the conversation to
bring them up (of course you've got a pretty good point WRT sysctl(8)
and even sysctl(3) - they're not exactly good documentation
examples!).
The point is that the sysctl documentation should be found in the
same place as the rest of the system documentation.
> Looks like this bus shelter isn't going anywhere. 8(
I can't say I'm surprised :-I
> --
> \\ Sometimes you're ahead, \\ Mike Smith
> \\ sometimes you're behind. \\ mike@smith.net.au
> \\ The race is long, and in the \\ msmith@freebsd.org
> \\ end it's only with yourself. \\ msmith@cdrom.com
--
Brian <brian@Awfulhak.org> <brian@FreeBSD.org> <brian@OpenBSD.org>
<http://www.Awfulhak.org>;
Don't _EVER_ lose your sense of humour !
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