RE: directory search fails!

[Hambridge, Philip J (ODP)]

I've used the manual a great deal in recent years, and have found it to
be one of the most helpful reference documents of the many I encounter.
In my opinion it's a reference document with a friendly feel.

I recall having to read this particular section within the last year,
but do not recall having any real issue with it. I may well have had to
read it a few times. I may well have made up a test case or two. I may
well have scratched my head. But I think that's because we're dealing
with something intrinsically complex, not because the manual is poor.
Hopefully I came out a little wiser as I had put some effort into
understanding it. And after all, this kind of process is partly what
software engineering is all about.

While it may be true that the comments of a relative newcomer may be
helpful in developing improvements, this needs to be kept in check. The
danger is that too much time and detail can be put into explanation &
examples etc., when the real need is for users to carefully think over
and apply the subject matter. There are few real mysteries in software
engineering and those that initially appear to be so, usually yield to a
little careful study and determined experimentation.

Regards,
Philip.


-----Original Message-----
From: David Ferguson [mailto:address@hidden 
Sent: 28 September 2010 19:38
To: 'Eli Zaretskii'
Cc: address@hidden; address@hidden
Subject: RE: directory search fails!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eli Zaretskii [mailto:address@hidden 
> If you could point out where the text I suggested makes 
> things less clear, that'd be most appreciated.
> 
> TIA

Sorry, it doesn't work that way.   Spend all of your time you want
trying to suggest improvements to a document that has had widespread
adoption and maturation over the past decades, that's your privilege and
option.  Feel free to critique and editorialize on the existing
documentation to your heart's content.   Don't expect me, or anybody
else (though I give kudos to Paul's remarkable patience and tolerance)
to do anything more than 'sorry, do not agree'.  My time is too valuable
to spend trying to change your mind on this topic.  I simply don't care
what you think.    I feel quite comfortable knowing that many people
disagree with me on many subjects.

However, you may have observed that the groundswell of opinion endorsing
the various suggested improvements has not occurred.  That's because
most of the people still bothering to read any of these posts apparently
do not believe them valuable enough to endorse or even comment upon.  I
don't quite know why I am still wasting time on these, but I do want to
provide (to Paul and the other authors) at least one voice that reflects
that I am quite happy with the style and content of the doc. 

-daf