> erik quanstrom wrote: >>> is not available under Plan 9. (Or is it?) As there is no simple >>> introduction to Plan 9 new users will just go the easy way and get >>> Windows or Linux. >> >> lack of an introduction is not the problem. not being unix >> is the problem. >> > > Looking too much like UNIX while acting differently is part of the > problem. However, the bigger part is that the existing documentation > can be a bit daunting for someone who is new to Plan 9, and still has > only a vague notion of how the system works. Like the UNIX man pages, > the documentation is very detailed, and great for a reference. But many > new users need a bit of hand-holding, of the "Trust me, you want to run > this command. You'll learn why/how later, but for now, just RUN THIS > COMMAND." sort. At least until the 'new user' anxiety dies down a bit, > and the return of rational thought allows one to digest the more > extensive documentation. > > Besides, isn't not being UNIX one of the prominent features of Plan 9? > > Steven Vormwald > > PS: John, thanks for the link to the RIT Intro paper (in another message > in this thread). It helped a lot.
I've been thinking of writing a "Plan 9 for Dummies" style thing; Nemo's book is excellent but definitely aimed at someone most interested in writing code immediately. Basically stealing the format from all UNIX beginner's books ever written, it would have a chapters about logging on, basic rio usage, basic commands, the file system layout, acme and sam (to match the standard vi and emacs sections!), rc programming, and C under Plan 9. Imagine chapter one of Nemo's book except greatly expanded. Now, before I set quill to parchment (or fingers to keyboard as may be), has anyone else started something like this? John
