More random python observations from a perl programmer
Tom Christiansen
tchrist at mox.perl.com
Thu Aug 19 14:47:07 EDT 1999
[courtesy cc of this posting mailed to cited author]
In comp.lang.python,
drew_csillag at geocities.com writes:
:> Thanks for nothing: there are no manpages.
:Manpages don't work very well if you're stuck on a Windows box :(. If
:only the world were Unix... <sigh>
So what? man is a trivial program to write, if all you have
to do is display preformatted text info.
:There are the python manuals which are excellent, available at:
:http://www.python.org/doc/ (linked to from the homepage)
:available in your choice of HTML, PostSript, PDF, Info, LaTeX and
:windows help.
None of those is text. I can't use not only man(1), apropos(1),
or whatis(1), I also can't use text-processing tools like grep(1) or
directory processing ones like find(1).
:Not to mention that they're searchable via:
:http://www.python.org/search/
I wasn't on the Internet when I learnt python. Please don't shoot me.
:But for the most part, I usually don't need the search portal since the
:indexes are really good. But if you want a greppable form, there's Info
:(although I don't like info in general, but info (both standalone and
:emacs versions) does have the document search key 's'), HTML, and the
:LaTeX versions grep quite well.
You think HTML greps sell? I don't think so. Now, you can argue
that troff doesn't grep well either, and you'd be right. But
I grep the catpages or podpages.
:No, actually, just trying to help you out, so chill out alright?
Fine. I just hate being told to read the fucking manual when there
ISN'T one. I despite Linux and GNU and the FSF and all that crap
because of this.
--tom
--
"VAX. For those who care enough to steal the very best."
-- A microscopic message on the silicon chip inside
one of Digital Equipment's often stolen computer designs.
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