Re: tools Re: Slightly OT: Comments, ideas, or suggestions for improving websites
On Mon, Dec 12, 2005 at 08:09:57AM -0800, Alvin Oga wrote:
>
> hi ya hendrik
>
> On Mon, 12 Dec 2005 hendrik@topoi.pooq.com wrote:
>
> > I've never been able fo figure out what webmin does in sufficient
> > detail to enable me to use it.
>
> i know webmin is broken in terms of creating the correct
> config files ... ( or good enuff for some .. but not
> the silly boat i want )
>
> > that link to documentation -- documentation that fills you
> > into the bigger picture, rather that just the
> > out-of-context microprose most help systems
> > provide.
>
> tough to do
I know.
>
> > that enable you to learn what's going on under the hood
> > without forcing you to.
>
> tough to teach by docs...
> - teaching by example is okay i suppose
>
> - "teaching what's under the hood" will take decades even
> if you're a speed reader and a genious with iq over 120
I know. Writing that kind of documentation is hard. It takes
many of the same skills as are needed for writing the code, and
others as well. Even if you're a speed reader, speed writer,
and a genius.
And after it's ween written, it's hard to navigate through a world
of web pages and other stuff to find the bit you need.
>
> > that tell you which configuration files they are going
> > to modify/create/delete and why
>
> that's where most gui tools screw up big time
> in modifying/merging/updating old and new changes
> along with user modified changes
>
> > that read your configuration files and explain them to you.
>
> bedtime story :-)
>
> the kernel config gui ain't too bad .. ( simple )
> - it tells yo a little about the option
> - it tells you what to select if you donno
> - it talls you it can break things if you donno what
> you're doing
I know. The kernel config gui is one of the bright lights
in a bleak landscape.
-- hendrik
>
> - the kernel gui sucks ... if you tell it to
> skip isdn or flash mem stuff... it insists on popping up
> all the isdn stuff just to make you click away
>
> ( it needs to be context sensitve )
>
> > Of course that would all be easier if there were to be
> > a uniform file format for configuration files. And that
> > might be possible if there were a uniform semantics.
>
> it looks like rss, css, and html style is taking over
> and its not much better than ole fashin man pages
>
> > I don't think anyone has yet formulated a workable semantic
> > framework for configuration. Or have I missed something important?
>
> nope ... its on the horizon
Is it even that close?
>
> c ya
> alvin
>
>
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