Re: Fred Linux Annoyance List.

> > 2) Some man pages are WAY too long, you scroll for years with zillions 
>of
> > options, gcc comes to mind,
> >    and you cannot find the one you REALLY want.
>
>Try pinfo gcc
>
>If it finds an info page, it uses that (which is often much easier
>to navigate), otherwise it uses a man page. It is meant to be similar
>to the lynx web browser but a lot simpler, obviously.
>
>Sometimes pinfo crashes, in which case you just have to go back to
>man or info. :(

pinfo crash wow, that's a nice geeky solution!!! hihihi

>
> > 9) Application should have different user mode:
> >     - Newbie
> >     - Normal
> >     - Expert
> >     - User specify
>
>The only problem with this is, if newbie mode excludes features,
>the newbie may actually need/want those features and be annoyed
>when s/he can't find them.

Yes, Tools->options-> (user specify mode automatically).

>Also this request relates to your complaint about inconsistency: if there 
>are
>all these different modes, documentation may become more confusing.

Nope, I have nice DOS manual with things in normal/expert mode.
Samething for most Windows manual.
When you explain, you assume:
part A) normal mode (activate the feature)
part B) expert mode (the feature is activated already or activated from A)

>But sure, different modes are useful and are here to stay. Some people
>prefer cmdline, some people prefer GUI. No reason why a program can't
>offer both options (and more), and some do, e.g. emacs (which I wouldn't
>recommend as user-friendly, but at least it is flexible).
>
> > 14) Most Unix commands makes use of RegExp, awk, sed, perl.
> >    The problem with RegExp requires a DFA/NFA CompSci hard theory course
> >    and cannot be really self-taught.
> >    --> Make a newbish GUI RegExp builder tool?
>
>KDE has one I think.
>
>But it should not be necessary to learn regexp just to do a search and 
>replace
>through multiple files.

There you go!
I take the example of EditPlus, Search&Replace through multiple files:
default: one line
click the down arrow: multi line
click the regexp checkbox: regexp mode
click both: regexp multi line mode

Very flexible, with kbd shortcuts.

>Also sed (and another package, gawk IIRC) don't document their regular 
>expressions
>capabilities...
>
> > 15) Hide as much as you can from the user, make it "progressive".
> >    Don't INSTALL everything. Ask the user what he wants to install and 
>how
> > he want it,
>
>That should be optional of course - Expert mode and Easy mode, or 
>something.
>(But you already mentioned that of course.)

Yes.

> > 16) TrueType Windows fonts!!!
> >    Who invented anti-aliasing for less than 18pt fonts ?
> >    I can't believe people use anti-aliasing for 8,10,12,14pt... are you
> > dyslectic or what?
>
>Actually it looks quite pleasing to the eye.

Yes, if it's AUTOMATICALLY disabled by your renderer, else it look FUZZY.

> >    Anti-Aliasing is only good for BIGGGG font like 36pt titles and 
>more...
>
>Not at all. If you have a crappy implementation they will look crap, but 
>that's
>because of the implementation, not because it's bad to antialias 12pt fonts 
>-
>it isn't.

Yes it looks blurry, having shadow on a 12pt because the antialias cannot be 
done
on subpixel level is a bug not a feature.

>Anyway thanks for all your complaints. I'm thinking of forking a new OS 
>based
>on GNU/Linux, and the stuff on this list has given me lots of ideas. The 
>great
>thing about writing a new OS is you don't have to worry about "Oh Linus 
>Torvalds
>will never accept changing /proc to /kernel" or "Oh Red Hat will never 
>accept
>a patch to fundamentally change x y or z" - you just go your own way!

Sincerely yours,
Fred.

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