cvs commit: src/usr.bin/fetch fetch.1

Wes Peters wes at softweyr.com
Sun Jan 25 19:09:48 PST 2004


On Saturday 24 January 2004 03:06 pm, Dag-Erling Smørgrav wrote:
> Diomidis Spinellis <dds at aueb.gr> writes:
> > Let us not forget that the Unix manual pages provide reference
> > material; they are not a user guide.  They historically have been
> > terse, to the point, and honest in admitting shortcomings (bugs).
> > While a user might find it helpful to read the environment variable
> > documentation in fetch(1), the correct thing to do in reference
> > material is to document the variables where they are implemented,
> > namely fetch(3), and provide a cross reference.
>
> Yes.  I'd like to see Wes's commit backed out, please.

Roger Wilco.  Is it OK to make a stronger recommendation that the user 
consult fetch(3) for some rather critical information about how fetch(1) 
really works?  As it stands, the fetch(1) page really requires reading of 
fetch(3) as well, which is fine as long as we lead the reader there with 
a rather blunt instrument.

-- 

        Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?

Wes Peters                                               wes at softweyr.com



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