maemo.org - Talk - Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?

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Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benson (Post 177249)

Everyone looks stuff up in the manual, out of fear of looking like a newbie? Well, I don't think that's why, but any reason's a good reason.

Sorry - I searched the whole thread, and didn't see any reference to a manual. What are you refering to? In fact, what are these manuals. One thing that I am always impressed with is how poor the documentation is for any of the linux stuff. I know why - developers hate doing documentation. I am a developer, and I hate it. I just have to do it at work.
OK, there is the man pages, which work fine if you know what tool is necessary to do the job you want to do, but if you don't then you have a few hours of googling trying to find something.

I did a google tonight. I was trying to find out why I couldn't install the mind manage app somewhere here. I couldn't find some python library. First thing I found was something on the python page telling me I had to have the tablet in R&D mode, which I didn't really want (or feel necessary). So I did a bit more searching. Then after about 4 different searches, I found the phrase I needed for the library I was looking for, as I assumed it was some abstract repository I had to add (and obviously, I didn't want to look like a ****** for asking as I should know all the repositories used everywhere), so I followed the link. It was somewhere on here asking where to get the library from which was answered by someone providing a link to google. I searched the whole of ITT, and that was the only reference, so I don't know what they were going on about.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benson (Post 177249)

I think it has more to do with wanting to learn, and recognizing that a man page is a much better way of understanding grep than a single regex someone responds to your specific "help me please" question with.

a man page is an awful way of learning a how to do regex, and that goes on the basis that you know what a regex is and what the name of the tool that does it is. If you don't know what the tool is called, or about regex expressions, how are you supposed to know?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benson (Post 177249)

(And what's this mean: "Instead of progressing technology"? Do you think that the people who ask dumb questions instead of Ring TFM are likely to bring about any technological progress? Or am I misunderstanding your point?)

If there was a FM then that would be a valid point.

But anway, they do progress technology. They buy the products enabling the products to be produced. If it was just linux enthusiasts, there wouldn't be enough to make it worth doing.

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?

Quote:

Originally Posted by briand (Post 177270)

...and, just as a side point, let me say this: if anyone reading this thread is (or should be) considered a "newbie", then you would do well to learn (via which, you will learn to love) regular expressions...

..............................

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie Zawinski in comp.lang.emacs

Some people, when confronted with a problem, think “I know, I’ll use regular expressions.” Now they have two problems.

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?

/me chuckles.

if i wasn't feeling so lazy tonight, i'd go dig up the url to one of my favorite xkcd comics...

;)

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?

Quote:

Originally Posted by briand (Post 177390)

if i wasn't feeling so lazy tonight, i'd go dig up the url to one of my favorite xkcd comics...

For the unenlightened. http://xkcd.com/208/

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/regular_expressions.png

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?

Ahhh, now I know the problem when my system at work stops working. It is flash that is broken! Also opening more than 6 IE windows means that I cannot also open Adobe Reader- yep Adobe owns Flash- the culprit is found.

I thought all this time it was the fact that the OS is Win2000 sp4 instead of Ubuntu.....It is much better with a Pentium4 and a Gig of memory. Must be less flash in the air.

It matters not that 32 million NEW desktops in Brazil are now using Ubuntu, or that most European State Business is FOSS. Too bad they don't have Flash to know how broken those systems are......

tic for those all rattled.

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tabletrat (Post 177246)

Excelent. Like the anti-science. Standing on the toes of giants.
Instead of progressing technology, everyone spends time doing the same thing over and over again out of fear of looking like a newbie.

Now I understand why commercial software coming from Redmond still have problems that were solved 30 years ago.....

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?

GA --

yep. that's the one. please accept my virtual "thanks", as that option is not available on this thread. :)

my next favorite xkcd (no need to link it) is "sudo make me a sandwich". ;)

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?

Um, why the thanks button is not available anymore? Did i miss something?

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?

Ubuntu is coming on strong so Adobe will put flash on it. MS is no longer the driving force for anything. As for Linux and open source, linux works and I care not if any proprietary app runs on it as long as it works. I use both OS and closed to design and build web environments. I also use MS and Apple for the same thing. In the long run OS will rule because no closed environment can be the end all and be all for solving the kind of complex problems that arise as the web increases it's influence on all things dealing with commuting.

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tabletrat (Post 177339)

That's what Google is for. And that's what every newbie in every sphere needs to do learn first: how to search successfully in Google and Wikipedia.

For instance some sites for regular expressions you can find:

http://www.regular-expressions.info/
http://www.rexv.org/ (Cough cough - this site is mine :), the next extended beta is here: http://rexv.bundyo.org/)
http://www.zytrax.com/tech/web/regex.htm