Re: lynx-dev LYNX: err-msg for "s" too fast, shows ONLY ONCE, NEVER AGAIN

[Larry W. Virden]

From: David Combs <address@hidden>
> Once saw a "fortune" msg (unix) that said that one of
> those two inventors of unix had removed ALL the dials (gas, etc)
> and error-lights in his automobile, and replaced them
> all with a SINGLE msg that showed on his winshield:
> 
> error somewhere in car
>
>because of course anyone worth anything at all would
>be able to instantly FIGURE OUT what was wrong.

Which of course is nonsense - 1) there is no one 'unix' as such.  There is a
kernel, which is the closest thing to what unix is.  2) The kernel generates
lots of errors - when there's a problem.  Unlike Windows, which crashes
when the power flickers, Unix doesn't seem to encounter a lot of problems
that cause it to just stop.  And the errors that I do see from the
various helper processes tend to tell me things like disk names and
the error encountered, etc.

Now, there ARE programs which run under Unix which use cryptic msgs - the
joke above in fact tends to be referring to the ed line editor, which
has, as default, a ? which it issues when any error is encountered.
Many years ago a verbose error mode was added however that produces
applicable errors.  These days however, people are more enamored with GUI
editors, which go to excruciating lengths to tell you what is wrong...
-- 
Larry W. Virden <URL:mailto:address@hidden><http://www.usenix.org/events/tcl2k/>
<URL: http://www.purl.org/NET/lvirden/> <*> O- 
Unless explicitly stated to the contrary, nothing in this posting should 
be construed as representing my employer's opinions.
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