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Date:      Thu, 4 Jun 2009 16:17:43 -0400
From:      Robert Huff <roberthuff@rcn.com>
To:        Wojciech Puchar <wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>
Cc:        Jerry McAllister <jerrymc@msu.edu>, Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de>, "freebsd-questions@freebsd.org" <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>, utisoft@gmail.com
Subject:   Re: Date representation as YY/DDD or YYYY/DDD
Message-ID:  <18984.11239.817035.710659@jerusalem.litteratus.org>
In-Reply-To: <alpine.BSF.2.00.0906041947550.35646@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>
References:  <20090603235219.2e8abb8a.freebsd@edvax.de> <200906031700.45600.kirk@strauser.com> <20090604010054.a45f5880.freebsd@edvax.de> <alpine.BSF.2.00.0906040113270.28607@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl> <8BA60025-A005-4E38-9D5E-A9C11AB3C17C@strauser.com> <alpine.BSF.2.00.0906041007400.31357@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl> <b79ecaef0906040223q34875f54wfb523c2cc893373e@mail.gmail.com> <20090604173535.984e32d6.freebsd@edvax.de> <alpine.BSF.2.00.0906041754580.34564@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl> <b79ecaef0906040920y4af8a67ck3f7a765a0f0c21fa@mail.gmail.com> <20090604174510.GA32547@gizmo.acns.msu.edu> <alpine.BSF.2.00.0906041947550.35646@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>

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Wojciech Puchar writes:

>  > Well, man pages are good at formally documenting the how 
>  > of use, but they often are not so helpful on the why and 
>  > wherefor of use.
>
>  for me it's exactly for this - to know how and why to use.

	It is important to understand "man" is a _reference_, not a
_tutorial_.  It's great if you need to refresh your memory of the
"q" flag, or check for exit codes, or check the order of parameters
to the _fillintheblank() library call.  But if you're trying to
figure out how to do X, or even how to do X correctly using this
object ... many of the pages can leave you with the feeling you're
stupider than you actually are.
	Being a tutorial may not be what "man" was designed for.  But
until there's a designated and widely promoted text-only replacement
it will be used as one.


				Robert Huff




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