Re: [help-3dldf] installation problem with 3DLDF

[lfinsto1]

>> On Mon, 25 Feb 2008, address@hidden wrote:

> I can't work on Hurd because it requires me to learn C right at this
> moment and it also requires me to download, install and play with Hurd. I
> can't do that, I am jobless and I need some way to earn money using
> programming and C++ is the only vehicle I have along with Linux.

If you know C++, learning C should be a snap.  C is mostly, but not
entirely, a subset of C++.  I recommend Kernighan and Ritchie's _The C
Programming Language_.  For years, it was the only book on C I owned.  I
know also own the "ARM", i.e., the _C Annotated Reference Manual_, but you
can get by with Kernighan and Ritchie and the man pages.

>
> Earlier, I started to work on a free software named eLynx:
> http://elynx.sourceforge.net/
>
> It required me to have extensive and an intense amount of knowledge of
> Astronomical system and digital photography, it is written purely in C++
> with one part in OOA/D and another in Templates. That kind of domain
> knowledge of photography was not useful to me in any way. So I decided
> with 3DLDF where I also have C++ but the extra intensive work like TeX,
> MetaPost, literate programming and Bison is a worthwhile addition to
> personal tool-set. I am mainly concerned about using C++ to build software
> only for getting a job. my personal choices are languages like Common
> Lisp, Haskell, Mercury, BitC and OCaml.

I have seldom if ever seen a job posting that mentions LISP or Scheme. 
TeX, CWEB, METAFONT and MetaPost are interesting, but won't help you to
get a job, either.  There are jobs for compiler writers and Bison might
help you there, but the job postings I've seen are for people with formal
qualifications in compiler theory.

Working on 3DLDF will require considerable knowledge of 3D graphics.

>From my point of view, contributions to 3DLDF would be welcome, but none
have been forthcoming from anyone so far, so I'll believe it when I see
it.  I understand that a person who contributes to this package or another
will have reasons of his or her own, but my main concern is that there is
some benefit to the project.

The desire to make a contribution to 3DLDF would be a good reason for
learning how to work on it.  Working on it in hopes that it will benefit
your career would probably be a bad decision.  I can't put it more plainly
than that.

> that was all OT but I posted it to the list anyway.

If any discussion were to go too far off-topic, I'd suggest moving it
elsewhere, but otherwise I'm not that bothered about the matter. 
Generally, I'd prefer to keep discussions on the list, even if they do go
slightly off-topic.  It's not like there's much traffic on this list or
many subscribers.  In the past, anytime there's been a question or two, a
couple of people have unsubscribed.  There are only about 10 subscribers
on this list, anyway.  This list is for people who want to discuss 3DLDF
or read such discussions, and if someone doesn't want to do either of
these things, it doesn't hurt my feelings if he or she unsubscribes.  I
frequently subscribe to mailing lists when I have a question and
unsubscribe when I'm done.

> thanks for your time BTW

You're welcome.  I'm quite happy to answer questions about 3DLDF.  I'm
often happy to answer questions about other topics, too, but it's strictly
voluntary.

Laurence