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  • From: Jaka Kranjc <smgl AT lynxlynx.info>
  • To: sm-discuss AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [SM-Discuss] [hackers] svn Gwydion does not build
  • Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:06:21 +0100

On Thursday 11 of December 2008 13:25:59 ron wrote:
> I wanted to avoid the work of learning bash, to understand the way your
> system scripts work together.
By us rewritting it for you? oO

> I was asking why great distros like Source Mage and Gentoo do not make it
> easier for novices to install, use, and learn about the underlying system
> and development environment.
>
> Making something easy to use and learn about does not seem to me to be to
> much to ask.
We have developed a system remotely similar to doxygen for documenting our
scripts called bashdoc. To use it, you just have to install sorcery, bashdoc
and run the included generator script.
There is also some higher-level documentation on the wiki. And then there's
irc.
Setting up a development environment doesn't require any new tools. Not
really
much of an effort.

> I would even like to see perl used instead of bash. I can understand that a
> little better.
>
> In the navy the equipment came with a complete set of instruction manuals.
>
> That experience made me appreciate good technical writing.
>
> A good instruction manual, not only showing how to work something, but the
> way it works, is what I appreciate.
As usual, resources are limited and writting docs isn't the sexiest way to
waste one's time. So contributions in that area are greatly appreciated.

There's actually one QA component that is written mostly in perl - prometheus.

> The language of instruction man and machine in this case is bash.
>
> Why not use an easy to learn, modern, object oriented, scripting language.
Again, bash is not easy to learn?

> As an example, a subset of perl6 on parrot.
>
> Why do we have to always have to start from scratch?
always? Sure they did a few things from scratch that are usually already
available (libhash, liblock), but you have to remember that sorcery was
started in 2000.

> Aren't there any software translators, man or software to translate from
> bash to a higher level, easier to understand scripting language.
hah! Again we come to the myth of bash being difficult. Sure it has some
quirks (think quoting), but basic usage is straightforward and things like
pipes offset many of the shortcomings.

> The term bootstrapping comes to mind.
Huh?

> This is a question I have been wanting to ask for quite a while, and
> noticed many people have had this question also.
Really? Where?

LP
--
We cannot command nature except by obeying her. --Sir Francis Bacon
Have a sourcerous day! www.sourcemage.org

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