Re: man/info debate

[jdd <jdanield@dodin.net>]

Le ven, 25 aoû 2000, Matt Nelson a écrit :
> i am new to this list - have been lurking for a couple days, and skimmed
> through the archives.  i have a question:
> 
> is this the correct forum to discuss the problems with the current state
> of Linux documentation? 

I think it's the real place to do that, and a good moment (and of
holidays) to start a new flame war... :-)

I think from a long time that a real hypertext help system is really
needed for Linux..

But, of course, this doesn't exist, and if not, for good reasons, I'm sure.

SuSE distribution tries to give an integrated help system, but I quite
never use it, mainly because it's not integrated enough.

The old dos help system was interesting: typing help XXX brough the
corresponding help, if not available a menu system was launched.

kde help is purely html.

I think that
* the help must be in html for ease of display
* the help must be integrated, that is it gives the most recent between
the different files (man, info, howto...) and a link to the others
* it must have two entry methods: help XXX gives ones help, and a browsing
facility to learn

This should be quite easy to code at first step, for it's possible to
convert "on the fly" anything to html. I you don't beleive me, look à tth.

so using actual doc is feseable, even if ugly.

on a second step, we (the linux community, not only the ldp) give
comprehensive gidelines for building applications help (I could vote for a
reduced set linuxdoc style DTD of docbook - don't flame me for inadequate
words, I think this is enough to be understood).



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