From: lovecraft AT aol DOT com (Lovecraft)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject: Re: The DJGPP Oracle
Date: 14 Aug 1997 07:11:34 GMT
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Message-ID: <19970814071101.DAA08306@ladder02.news.aol.com>
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References: <5stghq$i43$1 AT vnetnews DOT value DOT net>
To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
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> I'd like just to add a few remarks which may
>address the concerns of both those who frequently find themselves
>answering questions on this newsgroup,

I really appreciate your input.

>First of all, I would like to emphasize the important point that DJGPP
>packages are not necessarily the "easiest" software around. 

Which I didn't know. I was looking for a freeware C ompiler so I could see
if I liked C.

>A great deal of the current software culture focuses on the idea that
>documentation should be "unnecessary," and that any good program should
>explain itself in ten minutes. 

I wasn't expecting that. I was daunted by the documentation being in
something called info??? format. And trying to learn to use that just to
read the DJGPP docs was frustrating.

> that even someone asking a notorious FAQ should be
>treated with courtesy -- although they are actually going outside >of the
Usenet charter, however unintentionally.

I have always tried to find a FAQ or charter on any given newsgroup. If
there's a quick and easy way to do this I'd love to know it. They are not
always posted with the ng name or don;t always show up on my server, etc. 

Please don;t take this wrong, but that statement about going outside the
charter just smacks of a little too much officiousness. It's just not what
newsgroups were 5 years ago. This global village is becomming a global
corporation.

>"Please see the FAQ, Section
>x.x" is efficient. 

This is all I've been saying. What I've gotten is not so helpful.

> People can miss details, misunderstand things, or fail to realize >that
a problem they perceive in one way is really synonymous >with an issue
covered in the FAQ
>or other DJGPP documentation under a different name.

You go girl!

>then a pointer to the best documentation is
>indeed "neighbors helping neighbors."

Once again, I agree. But being told to "RTFF" and other various
non-specific "pointers" just makes me feel like I'm dealing with 15 year
olds. 

I thank you for this input as it really does address the feelings I've
tried to explain here. 

Nick Nova