Re: Removing the manpage requirement for GUI programs?

[Bill Allombert <Bill.Allombert@math.u-bordeaux1.fr>]

On Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 08:06:37PM +0100, Josselin Mouette wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Therefore I propose that we drop the requirement of a manual page if
> these conditions are met: 
>       * the program requires graphical interaction with the user, and is
>         not meant to be used from a script; 
>       * the command-line switches are properly documented with a --help
>         option.

I object to that, in particular because:

1) The user cannot know that the program is a GUI before reading the manpage.
2) the user cannot know whether the binary support --help before reading the
manpage.
3) the user cannot know whether the binary support --help properly document
the command-line switches.
4) the manpage does not have to be limited to command-line switches.
5) this breaks man -k, apropos, etc and grepping manpages.
6) this breaks zsh completion of man (i.e. man k<tab>)
7) If you want to use help2man to generate manpage, there is nothing that
prevent you do to that at build-time. 

Cheers,
-- 
Bill. <ballombe@debian.org>

Imagine a large red swirl here.