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Mail Archives: djgpp/1997/08/01/14:34:40

From: "John M. Aldrich" <fighteer AT cs DOT com>
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject: Re: Stupid guy needs help
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997 20:38:30 +0000
Organization: Two pounds of chaos and a pinch of salt
Lines: 70
Message-ID: <33DD0346.2185@cs.com>
References: <5rghe7$hge AT news DOT ox DOT ac DOT uk> <19970728054500 DOT BAA14091 AT ladder01 DOT news DOT aol DOT com>
Reply-To: fighteer AT cs DOT com
NNTP-Posting-Host: ppp107.cs.com
Mime-Version: 1.0
To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp

Lovecraft wrote:
> 
> You'll notice that it gives a specicfic file name. Being new to this I
> figured it was correct as written. Only after looking at other DJGPP web
> sites did I find that I should put ALL of the needed files in one
> directory and do a global pkunzip.

Hmm.  I guess that one is pretty much assumed, although we do get the
occasional question about it.  But I thought that the language in the
readme file was pretty clear:  "Unzip the zip files from that directory,
preserving the directory structure."  Note that it says "files", not
"file", and makes no mention of alternate directories for each file. 
When in doubt, I find that it is best to apply Occam's Razor - the
simplest answer is usually right.

BTW, there are a few exceptions to this general rule; Allegro being the
biggest.  That's why I always look at the contents of any zipfile with
"pkunzip -v" or equivalent before extracting any files.  This has saved
my neck on a number of occasions.

Nobody really intends to jump down your throat on these things, but in
order to keep the signal-to-noise ratio of the ng down to size, we try
to pay particular attention to those questions that are not fully or
clearly explained in the docs, or that apply to particular programming
situations.  Questions like, "Why doesn't your stupid compiler work?"
really annoy us because we like to think that users have put some effort
into solving their problems before they come to us for help.

We welcome commentary on DJGPP programs of any sort, particularly
suggestions and bug reports, and we enjoy chatting about various topics
(see the message headers in the newsgroup for examples).  Some of us,
like myself, will even take time to answer completely off-topic
questions instead of simply brushing people off, as long as we aren't
too busy.  Then there are people who just get angry at everything and
sound off at will.  You have to be patient with us; we're a mixed bunch.

> My reason for going on about this is to ask what is this group for?
> Beginners? Intermediates? Or experts of a select club?

It takes all kinds to make a development environment like DJGPP
successful.  Many of us forget that we started out as beginners, too. 
I've fallen into that trap a few times myself.  The best guideline to
keep in mind when asking a question is whether you have done everything
you can do to solve the problem yourself.  Sometimes the answer is right
at your fingertips; other times you need the wisdom of others.

> The responses I've gotten remind me of the DOOM  newsgroups.
> 
> DJGPP Rules!!!!!
> 
> There. Is that better?

No.  In fact, that's the sort of brainless comment that I detest most. 
_Why_ does DJGPP rule?  Give specific examples.  Better yet, why
_doesn't_ it rule, and what can we do to remedy the situation?

> I will  be hesitant to ask anymore questions here.

Don't do that; it won't solve anything.  But feel free to trod on the
toes of certain people when they get out of hand.  <g>

Good luck!

-- 
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|      John M. Aldrich       | "It may be better to be a live jackal|
|       aka Fighteer I       | than a dead lion, but it is better   |
|   mailto:fighteer AT cs DOT com   | still to be a live lion."            |
| http://www.cs.com/fighteer |                - Lazarus Long        |
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