Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:36:40 +0200 (CEST) From: Wojciech Puchar <wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl> To: Dave Hayes <dave@jetcafe.org> Cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Resistance to documentation? (was Re: Pull in upstream before 9.1 code freeze?) Message-ID: <alpine.BSF.2.00.1207181024250.4615@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl> In-Reply-To: <5005D181.8080709@jetcafe.org> References: <20120717183221.298430@gmx.com> <20120717153505.42633535@bhuda.mired.org> <5005D181.8080709@jetcafe.org>
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> > I think this is unintentionally specious reasoning. No offense intended. :) > true > The program itself is fairly trivial to write. i don't need such a tool, but if it would be separate tool, then it is all right if someone like to write it. This would be unix way. > So it's really not possible to write the tool and associated documentation > "myself". Otherwise I would. The "pointless debating" is really an attempt to > get a critical mass of knowledgeable developers to agree to participate in not really. the idea was to integrate it with shell and turn on it by default, prefering newbies over norml users, and making another change that would actually prevent getting knowledge to newbie. > I've been using FreeBSD since the 90s. My perception (over many years of > observation) is that the FreeBSD people most able to document what exists and > how to use it seem to also have the greatest resistance to writing any > documentation. what do you mean? FreeBSD manual pages is what i consider great part. i mean manual pages. handbook is not always up to date but still fine for a NEW USER to learn FreeBSD. And that's the right way. "creators", "helpers" like proposed reminds me windows. A "Help" that doesn't really help learning anything. There are already lots of stupid things that is ALREADY done in FreeBSD without reason. Few examples: 1) XML output from some sysctl variables. It isn't just stupid. It's sad. 2) bsdlabel -e allows editing only when NONE of partitions are open/mounted, in spite that they are not modified. In FreeBSD 6 it allowed editing everytime and all worked. "Preventing people doing stupid things would prevent doing clever things". OK there is gpart now but still bsdlabel is far easier and useful. 3) replacing C compiler with immature one just because licencing is "better". Still - GCC licencing is fine for use in FreeBSD. 4) Adding features that are not really finished and in working state. gjournal is an example, background fsck is another (everyone actually ends in background_fsck=NO) and more that i don't probably get contact with. Of course in the same time where are hundreds of good things done, and we all know it. But if people won't understand a problem NOW and fight it, it will become worse.
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