Re: Linux/Debian documentation suggestion [attempt to elaborate more]

Hi Karl and other interested people

Karl E. Jorgensen wrote:
> On Fri, Apr 27, 2007 at 07:44:01AM +0200, Glenn Moeller-Holst wrote:
>>>> This Linux/Debian documentation suggestion, regards Linux and
>>>> applications commands.
>>>>
>>>> It is proposed that the kernel and applications packets (.deb, .rpm)
>>>> includes (or has the possibilty to include) documentation about the
>>>> package commands. Maybe in many languages like Mac OS X. Mac OS X has
>>>> each language text in each data-fork.
...
>> Glenn:
>> I know about man-pages.
>
> Good :-) What documentation did you mean then? At the moment packages
> already have the possibility to include documentation - and most do..
> (yes: for some the documentation is so bit to warrant a separate -doc
> package)

>
...
>> Glenn:
>> Here are some examples of what would be nice:
>> pc:/# sud?
>> bash: sud?: command not found
>> pc:/# sud*
>> bash: sud*: command not found
>> pc:/#
>
> Try command-line completion instead: type "sud" and then hit the TAB
> key. Hitting it once will autocomplete as much as possible - if it
> beeps, hit TAB again to get a list

That is a good feature I did not know of. That is extremely close to what I need.

>
>> Glenn:
>> Instead of "command not found" it could have responded:
>> pc:/# sud*
>> More than one command found:
>> sudo
>> suddock
>> ...
>> pc:/#

Then it could be nice with a response that resemple this:

pc:/# *
More than one command found:
/abc/openoffice.bin - Application command, class DTP (from package abc).
/abc/zgrepxyz.bin - Primarily for internal use (from package xxyz).
/somewhere/abc.pl - Perl script (not installed via package system - possibly "home made").
/abc/mozilla.bin - Application command, class www-browser (installed via tar.gz source files).

Another nice response:
pc:/# * | grep -E "Application" | grep -E "www"
More than one command found:
/abc/mozilla.bin - Application command, class www-browser (installed via waz.tar.gz source files).
/bcd/mozilla.bin - Application command, class www-browser (installed via package ddf).
/abc/safari.bin - Application command, class www-browser (installed via package xyzz).
/abc/seamonkey.bin - Application command, class www-browser (installed via package xyzzy).

> Let me guess: Do you have a VMS background?

I do not know, but "suddock" was just an "invented" command to show that more possible commands was present.

>
> In linux/unix the *shell* expands wildcards before the command(s) get
> invoked. Wouldn't it be more confusing to have different rules for
> wildcards in command names?
>
>> I am not the most experienced Debian-user. I have made approx. 5 installation -
>> my latest is Etch. From an end-user standpoint it is the best Debian I have
>> used.
>
> Hope this helps

Thanks,

Glenn