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Show HN: manpages-tldr – short manpages with examples

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Re: Show HN: manpages-tldr – short manpages with examples

#11

Post by DanBC »

andreasvc wrote: post #7

Why can't people just improve manpages so that they include a readable abstract and examples instead of coming up with projects with cute names?

From the readme:

> This project aims to make fast-updated, practical and precise manpages with examples for everyday usage. Its idea based on similar projects, like bropages and tldr, but written as part of real manpages (mostly converted from Markdown with pandoc).

And if OP is reading this there's a couple of typos there.

Normally I don't care, but this is a do umentation project so it's important.

> Its idea based

Should be

> It's an idea based

Re: Show HN: manpages-tldr – short manpages with examples

#12

Post by andreasvc »

DanBC wrote: post #11
andreasvc wrote: post #7

Why can't people just improve manpages so that they include a readable abstract and examples instead of coming up with projects with cute names?

From the readme: > This project aims to make fast-updated, practical and precise manpages with examples for everyday usage. Its idea based on similar projects, like bropages and tldr, but written as part of real manpages (mostly converted from Markdown with pandoc). And if OP is reading this there's a couple of typos there. Normally I don't care, but this is a do umentation project so it's important. > Its idea based…

What I meant is to submit patches to the upstream manpages, so that everyone benefits.

Re: Show HN: manpages-tldr – short manpages with examples

#13

Post by JIghtuse »

DanBC wrote: post #11
andreasvc wrote: post #7

Why can't people just improve manpages so that they include a readable abstract and examples instead of coming up with projects with cute names?

From the readme: > This project aims to make fast-updated, practical and precise manpages with examples for everyday usage. Its idea based on similar projects, like bropages and tldr, but written as part of real manpages (mostly converted from Markdown with pandoc). And if OP is reading this there's a couple of typos there. Normally I don't care, but this is a do umentation project so it's important. > Its idea based…

Thanks. English is not my native language. Of course, this can not be an excuse.

Re: Show HN: manpages-tldr – short manpages with examples

#14

Post by JIghtuse »

andreasvc wrote: post #7

Why can't people just improve manpages so that they include a readable abstract and examples instead of coming up with projects with cute names?

It is possible, but it takes a long way to approve and distribute manpages after changes. I like Michael Kerrisk for all his work. Manpages are great and I'm not trying to replace it, they have much more useful information.

Re: Show HN: manpages-tldr – short manpages with examples

#15

Post by userbinator »

andreasvc wrote: post #7

Why can't people just improve manpages so that they include a readable abstract and examples instead of coming up with projects with cute names?

Another way to think about this is, why can't manpages be written more concisely, so that the most common options and syntax are on the first page/"above the fold"?

Here is the 7th edition UNIX manual for comparison: http://cm.bell-labs.com/7thEdMan/bswv7.html

Re: Show HN: manpages-tldr – short manpages with examples

#17

Post by DanBC »

JIghtuse wrote: post #13
DanBC wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From the readme: > This project aims to make fast-updated, practical and precise manpages with examples for everyday usage. Its idea based on similar projects, like bropages and tldr, but written as part of real manpages (mostly converted from Markdown with pandoc). And if OP is reading this there's a couple of typos there. Normally I don't care, but this is a do umentation project so it's important. > Its idea based…

Thanks. English is not my native language. Of course, this can not be an excuse.

No worries! I hope I was polite.

Re: Show HN: manpages-tldr – short manpages with examples

#18

Post by croisillon »

hav wrote: post #4
Jonovono wrote: post #3

This was on here not long ago: http://bropages.org/

Wow. It took me ten seconds to click the link and read the description where the difference is highlighted. Can't you spare ten seconds?

I can : "This was on here not long ago: http://bropages.org/ but don't check it if you don't have ten seconds spare."

Welcome.

Re: Show HN: manpages-tldr – short manpages with examples

#19

Post by hf »

Elsewhere[0] I mentioned a shell alias called `eg` that jumps to the 'Examples' section in traditional man-pages.

I made great use of it with the excellently structured yet rather verbose git man-pages.

Anyways, here's the alias:

    alias eg='man --pager='\''less -p "^[A-Z]* ?EXAMPLES"'\'''
Try it out:

    eg git pull
(With older shells you might have to say `eg git-pull`).

Now as concerns the fine project submitted here, I'd suggest to try getting as much of those tldr's into actual man-pages. This will at least make the long-term survival of OP's labour more probable.

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7167815

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