[ale] I am so tired of Linux Fanatics

[Jerald Sheets]

On Jul 8, 2010, at 7:34 AM, Paul Cartwright wrote:

> On Wed July 7 2010, Jim Philips wrote:
>> The problem with RTFM is the assumption that the fine manual was well
>> written in the first place. I have been using Linux since 1995 and I have
>>  always felt that the man pages were written in exceptionally poor fashion.
>> The immediate underlying assumption is that you need to know about
>> *everything* and that most basic functions of a command are beside the
>> point. The man page for grep is an excellent example. They never go
>> straight to the point. The high use examples are always buried somewhere
>> that you would least be likely to look for them. The "F" in RTFM is not at
>> all deserved. How can I find a file containing "x" in my home directory?
>> The question will only be answered in the most convoluted way.
> 


I'm going to agree and disagree all at the same time!  :)

The man pages assume a familiarity with the tool you're trying to use and that you're looking for a different switch to perform a different task to go along with one you're already using or as an alternative to one you're already using.

Having said that, I concur that there needs to be a better entry point for the uninitiate to be able to easily grok the basic command itself right from the outset.

There was a time back when I was doing AIX alongside Linux that the info pages on AIX were just outstanding.  There was an introductory portion that explained what the command was, what it did, and how to leverage it and then had examples all throughout the body of the work showing you examples for each and every switch.

Obviously, there are some commands that would make that into a book, but separating those from the man pages into a separate documentation system seemed to be an awesome way to do that.  The info pages I've seen installed in Linux have been, more often than not, little more than a copy of the man page...  sad.

Books used to be the way I would self train, but nowadays it seems that the overall quality of books is nowhere what it was when I started 20 years ago.

Maybe it could be that it's hard to get paid as well from books any more.  I was working on the beginnings of a book with No Starch Press at one point and the advance was nearly 5 grand.  I had some things come up so I didn't sign the deal.  When I came back to it some time later, the price had decreased to 3k.  There's no telling what it is today.

Seeing that traditional publishing is in such a state of flux right now, it could be that the good authors with awesome projects underway are taking a "wait and see" attitude.  After all, if you're going to write a book these days, there's a pretty good size set of hurdles to clear and a ton of decisions to be made as to how you're going to publish.  It can be as simple as e-publishing or as complex as a book deal, an ebook rider, and a signing tour.  I have a feeling we're going to see far fewer really good books out there until the publishing market settles down.

In the absence of clear, concise "beginner" documentation both in electronic (whether it be ebooks, man pages, or info pages) and traditional print media, I think we'll have this problem with us for awhile.  The thing we need to ask ourselves is whether we'll answer it with what all too often passes for technical support on some mailing lists (sometimes, this one included) or if we'll go to great lengths to help each other out.  (people who didn't read notwithstanding, standard disclaimers apply)

There's another part of this, though, that becomes just as important.  We are at a point in Linux's development that wild-eyed zealotry is no longer necessary.  Feeling the need to pontificate and condescend only shows a lack of confidence in your platform.  Also, not everything is better in Linux (just like Windows, just like OSX, etc.)  There are great tools for great jobs everywhere.

When people ask me about video editing, I tell them to stick with their Mac (because they most often have one) because while you *can* edit video in Linux (and build render farms, and do transcoding), the average video editor has deadlines and project requirements, timing that is of the essence and TONS of products to choose from that just start working when installed.  Sure, I might suggest they install at home and play and get to know Linux and see if there's anything I can help them with along the way, but I understand the ramifications of rocking someone's world right in the middle of a workflow, and that's jut not something I would do.

Take my stuff, for instance.  Music composition and field drill design for marching bands.  The former has a few offerings in Linux-land, but the latter has none.  The former is one of those that many publishers tell you "must be submitted in Finale .mus format, 2009 or later".  The Open Source stuff can't touch that format, and there are no converters.  In times like these when the zealots tell you that you need to dump that Mac or that Windows box that they lose all credibility as technologists with people who are simply trying to get work done.

Sorry for the diatribe, but it's a pet peeve of mine.  

It's incumbent on us, the folks on the Linux list, to be there for people when they have needs and to help guide them into Linux when it just plain makes sense, but to understand that it isn't for everyone and no amount of Microsoft or Apple bashing will change the fact that there are indeed cases out there where Linux CANNOT do the job.  In the meantime, when we get new users asking the simple questions, we should remember that we were there at one point too and that the way of things today are clearly not the same as they were when we were starting.  Show some cultural sensitivity, show some class, and most of all show people the way to Linux when it perfectly fits their needs.  When it doesn't see how important that perfect fit is and help overcome the obstacles when you can, but put away the zealotry when you can't make it happen for them and wish them well along their way.


--j

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.ale.org/pipermail/ale/attachments/20100708/1a302728/attachment-0001.html