Hi;
Thanks Mike you got me thinking.
On Thu, 2005-12-29 at 23:15 -0600, Les Mikesell wrote:
> On Thu, 2005-12-29 at 22:04, William Case wrote:
> > That should be all included in a central help program.
>
> Central to what, the world? Google is as close as you'll
> get. How is anything supposed to know what assortment
> of programs written by thousands of different people
> over dozens of years you have assembled together on your
> disk?
>
> --
> Les Mikesell
> lesmikesell@xxxxxxxxx
Sorry if I wasn't clear. I meant I would like a facility on my computer
that is 'yelp-like' which would help find and organize all of my
internal help documentation -- original and downloaded. Since I
originally posted, I have had fantasies of how that might work.
Using yelp as a prototype, I would have yelp plugins that could be added
to do the following if desired:
* Display all the info and man pages by node titles;
* Display of all shell commands as separate items rather than as
one item that has to be searched for specific commands e.g Bash;
* Find, record, and update *all* other help documentation on the
computer, perhaps including 'readme's;
* Have a recommended list of helpful web sites that could be
upgraded with your own suggested sites;
* A glossary that included synonyms and alternative
technical/search terms, particularly for MS Windows transitions;
* A note facility so that your own personal notes could be
attached to any given help item;
* A google engine that is set up to search archives once a
particular archive has been located;
* A comprehensive Find (apropos ?) and Book mark facility; and,
* Perhaps a plugin with a set of examples
I am sure people can think of other handy or useful potential plugins.
I am not a programmer, so perhaps I am asking for too much. But, as I
no longer consider myself a complete newbie (I have been at it for over
two years) I can say that there is no lack of information out there.
Linux in its broad sprawling free manner has far more help and
documentation than other systems. People just need some aids
(particularly when they are new) in getting at it.
Thanks for listening. I thought I would write this down before the
frustrations, incomprehensions and miscomprehensions, discouragments and
anger that comes with being a Linux newbie were forgotten.
Regards Bill
