Subject: Linux-Activists - DOC Channel digest. 93-3-30-16:18
From: "Linux Activists" <[email-masked]>
To: "Linux-Activists" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1993 23:39:30 +0300

Topics:
	 Getting the books into print
	 Re: Linux-Activists - DOC Channel digest. 93-3-30-10:11 
	 Re: Linux-Activists - DOC Channel digest. 93-3-30-10:11 

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From: Thomas Koenig <[email-masked]>
Subject: Getting the books into print
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1993 19:16:03 +0300

Just an off thought:

Would it be possible to get the different Linux guides into print, once
they have been completed?  Would, for example, O'Reilly be willing to
publish them?
--
Thomas Koenig, [email-masked], [email-masked]
The joy of engineering is to find a straight line on a double
logarithmic diagram.

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From: Lar Kaufman <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Linux-Activists - DOC Channel digest. 93-3-30-10:11 
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1993 18:06:30 +0300

  This is, presumably, in the RETURN VALUE section. The ERRORS section
  should just give a list with entries EACCESS, EBUSY, etc. I've been
  neglecting to state that the error code is put in errno, but I suppose
  it should be stated somewhere. It seems silly, though, to put almost
  identical text in every manpage; perhaps it should be in intro(2) ?

There is a fundamental principle of technical documentation
that is the primary criterion for any document: usability.

It may seem silly to be so redundant, but when the user
calls up a manpage, he isn't going to look at the intro page.
I suggest that policy should be to put all the useful information on
every manpage.  Remember that manpages are designed for online use
as primary reference material.

It wouldn't hurt to mention in the intro(2) page that "For all
standard functions, upon successful completion, a value of 0 is
returned. Otherwise, a value of -1 is returned and errno is set to
indicate an error."  And don't forget to SEE ALSO the errno manpage.

-lar

Chair, Committee for Common Man

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From: Jim Van Zandt <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Linux-Activists - DOC Channel digest. 93-3-30-10:11 
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1993 20:12:44 +0300

	 
	 Ian Jackson writes:
	 
	 I've been neglecting to state that the error code is put in errno, 
	 but I suppose it should be stated somewhere. It seems silly, though, 
	 to put almost identical text in every manpage; perhaps it should be 
	 in intro(2) ?
	
Please put it in every relevant manpage.  Most programmers know it, but if
not then they probably won't know about intro(2) either.
	
                               - Jim Van Zandt <[email-masked]>

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