[ic] Pee-Poor Documentation Rant

[interchange-users@interchange.redhat.com (Matthew Schick)]

On Mon, 2002-01-14 at 09:48, Prasit P wrote:
> 
> > 
> > FYI, my Grandfather is blind and can tell ya more about a
> > movie that
> > most of the folks in the theater that can see the screen.
> >  It's not
> > about 'seeing' it's about understanding.
> 
> Your gran is smarter than other guys, just as you are.
> 
> > 
> > BS!  My Perl skills are far from perfect, but the more
> > I've learned the
> > easier the docs are to read.
> 
> See what I said!

<direct quote following>
Even you are Perl knowledgeable, you won't be able to
figure out easily what the document is trying (or not) to
tell you.
</quote>
> 
> > 
> > Ya know, this software IS free.  Meaning Mike and RedHat
> > don't make a
> > dime from folks downloading and using it.  Their money is
> > made from
> > doing development.  Why in the world should they pay a
> > full-time staff
> > to write documentation that would actually hurt their
> > cash flow?  I
> 
> 
> Long term profitable is what it is.  RH doesn't get much
> profit from supporting this application.  They don't try to
> support anyway.  I called them, left 3 messages wanting to
> buy their support/customized solution and a week passed
> nobody returns a call????  could you give me another smart
> explanation, please?
> 

You would have to take this up with the RedHat folks...  I haven't seen
this kind of complaint before, and I don't work for or with them.

> > always love hearing the rants of folks that get something
> > for free, and
> > then have to bitch because they don't get exactly what
> > they want.
> 
> RH is a big company.  They do this for their business
> potential and growth, unlike programmers who enjoy giving
> out their free script because they love what they do.  I
> just hope that RH will be more profitable if they do better
> documentation.  Software without manual is worth a penny.
> 

There are manuals.  You can download the PDF's or purchase the books
from RedHat.

> 
> > I started playing with Tallyman and Minivend, and quickly
> > graduated to
> > IC when it was released.  I personally find some of the
> > documentation to
> > be a bit obtuse, but I consider time spent figuring
> > things out to be my
> > investment.  I mean I haven't paid anything for this
> > unbelievably
> > complex and powerful software, why not spend the time?
> 
> Unbelievably!!  you earn $1/hour ?  So damn interesting!!!
> 

????????   I have no idea how you came to this conclusion, but it's
ludicrous.
> 
> > This is Open Source software folks.  If you don't like
> > something about
> > it, change it!  
> 
> I wasn't trying to be negative to this applicatoin.  Just
> shared my idea.  keep your ill-tempered for yourself.
> 
Not being 'ill-tempered'.  Just stating a fact.  You don't like the
documentation, learn the software and contribute your own.  If everyone
who uses IC were to pick a tag and improve/clarify the docs for that
tag, imagine how much things would improve.

<snip>

Matt