Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:27:42 -0400 From: PJ <af.gourmet@videotron.ca> To: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> Cc: "freebsd-questions@freebsd.org" <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: I hate to bitch but bitch I must Message-ID: <4AD9016E.20302@videotron.ca> In-Reply-To: <20091017010758.088b8b8c.freebsd@edvax.de> References: <4AD8EB8F.9010900@videotron.ca> <20091017010758.088b8b8c.freebsd@edvax.de>
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Polytropon wrote: > On Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:54:23 -0400, PJ <af.gourmet@videotron.ca> wrote: > >> Why is it that the manual pages, as thorough as they may be, are very, >> very confusing. >> > > A common misunderstanding about manpages can be that they > are often (wishfully?) seen as a tutorial or a howto. In > fact, they are references. > > > > >> Perhaps I am being too wary, but I find that too many >> instructions/examples are stumbling blocks to appreciation of the whole >> system: >> for instance, let's look at the instructions for changing disk labels >> with glabel or is it tunefs ? >> man glabel(8): >> >> for UFS the file system label is set with >> tunefs(8) >> <http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=tunefs&sektion=8&apropos=0&manpath=FreeBSD+7.2-RELEASE>. >> what happened to glabel? >> > > That's confusing... > > > > >> man tunefs(8) >> The *tunefs* utility cannot be >> run on an active file system. To change an active file system, it must >> be downgraded to read-only or unmounted. >> >> So, you have to run tunefs from an active file system to modify another >> disk? >> > > No. "Active file system" refers to a file system that is mounted > rw - the common method of using a file system. But in order to run > a program from a file system, the file system can as well be mounted > ro. This still allows running programs. > > A setting you'll often find is maintenance done in single user > mode; here, / is mounted ro to give access to the basic programs > in /bin and /sbin. All other partitions, including /usr, are not > mounted. They don't need to be for having a fully functional > system in maintenance mode. > > > > >> but from man tunefs: >> BUGS >> This utility should work on active file systems. >> What in hades does this mean--just above it says cannot be run on active >> file systems. ??? >> > > It "should". This means: Don't try that. :-) > > My printer isn't printing! > But it should. > No, it is not printing! > Yes, but it should. > :-) > > Aha! Gotcha! Whoever wrote that has made an unintentionnal booboo. It is a subtle difference and is indicative that whoever wrote it is not a native english user... the meaning is clearly "should be executed, done, carried out, performed" - should work means it can be carried out - I think the author meant to say "should not be done" > > >> To change the root file >> system, the system must be rebooted after the file system is tuned. >> >> You can tune a file system, but you cannot tune a fish. >> How cute... And fish eat bugs. >> > > Nice you found this. :-) > > > > >> Seriously, now to the manual: >> To create a permanent label for a UFS2 file system without destroying >> any data, issue the following command: >> # tunefs -L /home/ /dev/da3 >> >> Oh? home is what? What does this have to do with the partitions? >> > > The volume name, according to the manual, is "/home/" now, > isn't it? > > > > >> from manual: >> # tunefs -L /home/ //dev/da3/ >> > > I cannot find this in the tunefs manual in group 8... It > seems that there are too many /s in it... > > typo, sorry > > >> Do people who write this stuff ever read it? Tell me that its clear and >> simple and to the point... so far, I have been running back and forth >> between half a dozen web pages trying to understand what is going on... >> and doing things through a dense fog does not produce creative results! >> > > Wow... I'm having problems now, too. Maybe I should re-read > the manpages a few times... > I agree that the manual is not intended as a tutorial... but then what is a manual but a source for a tutorial... ;-)
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