On Mon, Sep 26, 2005 at 03:31:33PM -0400, Roberto C. Sanchez wrote: > On Mon, Sep 26, 2005 at 02:43:59PM -0400, Hendrik Boom wrote: > > On Mon, Sep 26, 2005 at 07:47:07AM -0700, Kenward Vaughan wrote: > > > > > > Actually, it was pointed more to the way things are getting covered up > > > as dists move towards the black box approach. Not that easier isn't > > > better in many/most cases, but it strikes me that an easy to follow > > > trail back to the root of many black box items could be put into the > > > box itself. E.g. in the "about" part of any help system: "This > > > program modifies the foo files found in bar directory..." > > > > Maybe this should become official Debian policy. > > > I don't think it should. That is why every single Debian package > includes a README.Debian file in /usr/share/doc/<pkg-name>. This > should document any deviations between the Debian version and the > upstream version and anything else specific to the Debian package. > Besides, this is much more standard (not every program has a GUI or an > about box), and is already Debian policy.
I agree that Debian policy is not the place where this should manifest itself--rather it lies with the programmers who create the app in the first place. Much ignorance about a system could be solved by simple statements built into those programs which involve control/ configuration of various processes. Many of these, I'd wager, _are_ GUI's, for those used to a completely GUI world who know of no editor beyond Word or Notepad (and who would ever consider using Notepad??). Heck... when I started up my first Linux installation, I sat at the command line for half an hour, wondering what to next. My 1st joy--a working printer (common to many, I think). Source developers who include such info would be seen as user-friendly, helpful, etc., etc. My $0.02. Kenward -- In a completely rational society, the best of us would aspire to be _teachers_ and the rest of us would have to settle for something less, because passing civilization along from one generation to the next ought to be the highest honor and the highest responsibility anyone could have. - Lee Iacocca -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
