On May 18, 5:06 pm, Sean Corfield <seancorfi...@gmail.com> wrote: > I've seen a number of people struggle with the instructions here: > > http://clojure.org/getting_started > > Let's walk thru the process from a complete n00b's p.o.v. (since this > is the Getting Started page)... > > First thing discussed, the github repo. If I go there (not wanting the > source but being hopeful about a download), and click Downloads, and > pick either the .tar.gz or the .zip options, I get an archive of > source code. Fail. > > Let's try other downloads offered (since I don't want "alpha" > anything)... clojure-1.2.0.zip looks promising... OK, it is a full > source download but it *does* include a .jar file and java -jar > clojure.jar does actually start a REPL. Not a great experience but it > sort of works.
Well, for one thing 1.2.0 is not the latest stable version; it should point to 1.2.1. The zip of 1.2.0 contains a very broken "clj" shell script. Not shipping a launcher with Clojure is a shame, but it's better than including a broken one. Then we have half the page talking about debugging and profiling, but in all the time I've used Clojure I haven't ever felt the need to do either of these things. Definitely not "getting started" material. > Back to the Getting Started page to see what next.... CLR? Nah. > Development collaboration on JIRA? Nah. Feedback and discussion on the > Clojure Google Group? Not clear that's going to help a n00b (but it > would!). > > Link to Clojure Programming wiki. OK. (who maintains that and how > up-to-date is it?) > > Explanation of what's in the download... Far more than a n00b needs to > know (bytecode library? really?)... I can't help but think these are just symptoms of having a page for which only a handful of people have edit rights. If this were on the wiki we could have cleaned it up by now. Perhaps clojure.org shouldn't have its own "Getting Started" page at all? The thing I've seen causing the most confusion (not specific to clojure.org or the wiki but just "getting started" in general) is simply the notion that you don't really need to "install Clojure" to get running with it, which is very different from every other language I've used. People start looking in apt-get or macports and may find something (usually way out of date), but the vast majority of seasoned users don't go this route, opting instead for Clojure build tools and editor environment integration. I'd add this to the wiki this myself, but naturally I'm afraid my version would be rather biased. -Phil -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Clojure" group. To post to this group, send email to clojure@googlegroups.com Note that posts from new members are moderated - please be patient with your first post. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to clojure+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/clojure?hl=en
