Stephen Schaefer-NCS Sr SE <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> > Amen; the cumulative user interface annoyances with info are awful
>
> info is a pretty bad program (although some of the most notorious
> complaints, like not recognizing arrow keys, have been rectified), but
> reading them in Emacs is a whole lot nicer.
>
> In any case, Info files and the Emacs browser offer a few advantages
> which need to be integrated into any more "modern" doc systems:
>
> * I can hit "i" and look up a word in the index, and be bounced
> directly to the first hit. I can hit "," to go to subsequent hits.
>
> * I can do a regexp search through the document.
>
> * I can page through the document in a linear fashion, without finding
> and manually clicking on the link. In other words, I can use a
> command of the help browser to navigate (which can be a button, be
> a key command, etc).
>
> * I can use keyboard commands for everything, like hitting "m" and
> tab-completing which link I want to follow.
>
> Some of these features can be gotten in certain web browsers with a
> web server which indexes the files, but none of them exist in, say,
> the GNOME help browser looking at local files.
I'm agreed that "info" is very useful, particularly when you
use it from inside of emacs. I was wondering what trouble
people really have with it? There's a complaint that info
nodes are too verbose for some people, but that's really
more of a style thing than a software thing (nothing stops
you from having, say, an appendix on a subject with just
reference information in it). The UI doesn't bother me
particularly, it just seems like any keyboard oriented
program: you need to invest some time in learning the
commands, and then you can keep your hands off the rodent.
When I get documentation in html, I end up looking at it in
lynx (unless it has a lot of diagrams) which strikes me is
being a lot less convenient than "info".
(And while we're on the subject of style: I think the "man"
page style is favored by CS geeks, who always seem to be
chasing after mathematical precision in some form or
another. The rest of us might be forgiven if we'd like to
see something written in English...)
Oh, and please: no "P"DF.
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