Re: RE: RE: Auto Fill Comments

[Christopher Dimech]

> Sent: Friday, November 27, 2020 at 3:15 AM
> From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com>
> To: "Christopher Dimech" <dimech@gmx.com>
> Cc: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org
> Subject: RE: RE: Auto Fill Comments
>
> > The manuals should be rewritten because they are
> > incomprehensible.  Perhaps it was good in the eighties.
>
> Maybe.  Or maybe programmers in the eighties
> read more? or better?

Maybe, but today there is a problem of too much material.

> Would you like to contribute to rewriting or
> otherwise improving the manuals?  The job's
> open.

Sure, I'm working on it.

> > It continues forever.
>
> Yep, Emacs gives you a lifetime of learning,
> if you let it.
>
> > Consider "face customisation" for instance,
> > which just means font.
>
> Bzzzzzzt!  Nope.  But thanks for playing.
>
> > Nobody fuckin reads a manual with 17 nodes.
>
> I do.  I'm not nobody.
>
> Those who developed Emacs, and those who
> continue to develop it, feel that Emacs doc
> is vitally important to what Emacs is and
> what it aims to be.

Yes, for those who have spent quite some time
on emacs it could be good enough.

> Personally, I couldn't be more thankful for
> that perspective.  That's my Thanksgiving
> message...
>
> > You don't know which one to use, which
> > commands are most useful, and so on.
>
> You don't know if you don't read - true.
> You don't know if you don't try - true.
>
> > The problem gets compounded because every
> > esoteric command is there.
>
> No.  Most commands (and most functions, keys,
> faces,...) are intentionally NOT documented
> in the manuals.  Likewise, for most "esoteric"
> commands (functions,...).
>
> Your verdict reminds me of Emperor Joseph
> telling Mozart there were too many notes...

Do you think most are Mozart?  We ain't!

> Too many books in the library.  Internet's
> too big.  What's a body to do?
>
> > You are just insisting on something bad
> > and inefficient.
>
> You are just insisting that people help
> you find info that's easy for you to find,
> yourself.
>
> I don't insist that you read the manuals.
> Not at all.  Your loss, if you don't.  Or
> maybe you'll be able to continue getting
> spoon-fed here.  Good luck with that.

Wait a while ;)

> I'm actually glad people here help you.
> I was trying to let you know that people
> might be all the more likely to help if you
> show some research effort.

Will ask more complicated as I work more on it.
I got into elisp to help me in what I was doing
without too much time reading for the joy of it.
But yes, I should do it.

> Do I think Emacs users should ask questions?
> Absolutely.  Do I sometimes help Emacs users
> by answering questions?  Sure do - every day.
>
> But the single best way I can help in that
> regard is to help learn how to "Ask Emacs".

> https://quoteinvestigator.com/2015/08/28/fish/
> ___
>
> You wanna know how it was in the _real_
> good-ole days?
>
> http://www2.phy.ilstu.edu/pte/209content/agassiz.html

One got to endure with what one's got I suppose.