[MacPerl] List objective to increase MacPerl use?

[Robert Link <rlink@west.net>]

Sorry, all, for the lack of standard quote marking, but I had to circumvent
a reply-to in order to get this to the list.  Instead I'll use initials;
PJS for Mr. Schinder, RL for myself.

PJS:  How newbies are treated, on this list or any other, almost always depends
on how they act. You're off to a good start by reading The Book.
RL:  Perhaps a true newbie thinks you mean the bible?  Koran?

PJS: You should also learn how to use Shuck.
RL:  A newbie may only know this in the context of "Aw, Shucks, I wish I
knew what you were talking about!"

PJS: You should be aware that MacPerl comes with an extensive library of
Perl routines, in the lib folder, and that many of the files there have
their own built in documentation that you can read with Shuck.
RL:  A newbie shouldn't be expected to be aware of anything, although most
are grateful to be kindly informed of such "help-yourself" tools.

PJS: You can learn a lot about Perl by reading the routines in the lib
folder. You should also get into the habit of using the lib routines in
your own scripts rather than trying to reinvent the wheel each time. It's
much easier to read Shakespeare than to write it.
RL:  I agree on learning by reading the work of others, but TIMTOWTDI
implies TIMTOWTITW (InventTheWheel).  The Shakespeare reference is
insultingly patronizing.

PJS:  You should learn what CPAN is and how to use it. The CD that comes
with The Book has a CPAN snapshot, but of course it's already out of date.
RL:  Might you be so kind as to help a newbie with this?  Pretend I don't
know what CPAN is, and let me know which book you mean, Camel, Llama,
Aardvark?

PJS:  "Experts" are much more likely to help you if you've tried to help
yourself first. Don't tell us "I've looked everywhere" when you haven't.
One of the first things I do is go to yahoo and do a search on the topic
in question. If I easily turn up relevant information, I discard the
message.
RL:  This is great advice to any other "Experts" who are too busy to be
bothered with questions that are beneath them, although, I suspect most are
able to make this call without resorting to yahoo--either they feel like
answering or they don't; if so they next choose, respond on the list or
privately.

PJS: Don't tell us "my script doesn't work"  without providing a
script. The original script if you must, but a small example that exhibits
the problem will be read by more people. Don't tell us "I get an error
message" without telling us what the error message is. Don't ask a
question at all before first looking in the Perl FAQ and the list
archives.
RL:  I guess the crux of my response should be, "Matthais, please
incorporate Paul's suggestions into the standard-welcome-to-the-list
message", although many are already there.  Most of what Paul offers is
simple common sense and good list etiquitte, but the tone galls.

Both Perl and Mac have this "grass roots people helping people" image; it's
what attracted some of us to the language.  The incredible on line
documentation is a huge boon.  But, and this is no surprise to anyone who
remembers their early days, the man pages and pod can be pretty darned
unclear to someone just cutting their teeth on the language.  If pod were
all it took, "The Book" (I still don't know which one he means!) probably
wouldn't sell so well.

Perhaps traffic here will someday become so great that a separate,
moderated, MacPerl gurus list will be needed.  Meanwhile, I'm grateful for
this list as it is!

Sincerely,

Robert Link
rlink@west.net
http://www.west.net/~rlink/home.htm
Favorite Oxymoron:  "Objective Empiricism"



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