[Info-vax] Long uptime cut short by Hurricane Sandy

[Bill Gunshannon]

In article <kerbql$q6r$1 at iltempo.update.uu.se>,
	Johnny Billquist <bqt at softjar.se> writes:
> On 2013-02-05 15:49, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>> In article <keqjdl$i7s$1 at iltempo.update.uu.se>,
>> 	Johnny Billquist <bqt at softjar.se> writes:
>>> On 2013-02-04 17:15, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>>>> In article <an88g6F66jaU1 at mid.individual.net>,
>>>> 	billg999 at cs.uofs.edu (Bill Gunshannon) writes:
>>>>> In article <kemjhk$v46$1 at dont-email.me>,
>>>>> 	Stephen Hoffman <seaohveh at hoffmanlabs.invalid> writes:
>>>>>> On 2013-02-03 21:04:06 +0000, Bill Gunshannon said:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Is TO.COM a DCL Script?  Can someone send me a copy?  If not, is there
>>>>>>> a help or something for TO.COM that would tell me what it does?  Might
>>>>>>> be fun to try and duplicate it. (assuming I don't find that there is
>>>>>>> already someting to do this in Unix.)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://www.digiater.nl/openvms/freeware/v80/to/
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanaks, I'll see what I can come up with.
>>>>
>>>> Impressive endeavour.  I doubt I will be writting one for Unix.  Why?
>>>> It is much more complex than what I originally thought and would take
>>>> a good deal of time to design and code.
>>>
>>> I have not even looked at it, so take my comments as they stand...
>>>
>>>>   The fact that it doesn't
>>>> already exist in Unix pretty much shows the lack of desire for a
>>>> program to specifically do it.
>>>
>>> Now, wait a minute. That's a very sucky argument.
>>> By that logic, no new programs are needed, since they haven't already
>>> been done.
>>> I don't buy that.
>>
>> OK, probably badly worded.  What I meant was once someone saw the
>> functionality, given the time it has been around, the fact that
>> a program with that functionality has not been written for Unix
>> demonstrates a lack of interest.
> 
> Maybe. Or NIH. 

Based on the popularity of things like the comp.sources.* groups I really
don't think NIH was a problem in the Unix world.

>                 Or plain unawareness. 

Now that's a strong possibility.  Most people in the IT world are unaware
of VMS much less a single feature added to it by a user.

>                                       Or how about maybe it has been done 
> in various incantations numerous times. We just don't know about it.

Also possible, but I think less likely as my experience has always
been that when people in the unix world write something they think
is cool they tend to throw it out to the world.  Contrary to what
RMS would have the world believe there was considerable source
sharing before the GPL was foisted onto the world.

> 
>> Much like a VMS-like HELP system.  People here are constanly knocking
>> the unix manpages system while holding up the HELP system as the
>> epitome of online documentation but still,no one has bothered to
>> write one for Unix. To me that just shows that people on Unix don't
>> hold it at the same level of esteem and writing one would be a
>> waste of time.
> 
> Can you spell to info?

Yes, but last I looked it was very limiyted and no one was moving all 
of the unix man pages into it.  personally, I have always found it
cumbersome and of little use.

> That exists because more people dislike man...

So then, why are the man pages not all rewritten in info?  Or, if they
are, it is a well kept secret because I have certainly never seen them.

> 
> There are other examples as well.


bill

-- 
Bill Gunshannon          |  de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n.  Three wolves
billg999 at cs.scranton.edu |  and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
University of Scranton   |
Scranton, Pennsylvania   |         #include <std.disclaimer.h>