Re: [MacPerl] List objective to increase MacPerl use?

[Vicki Brown <vlb@cfcl.com>]

At 10:14 -0700 98/06/06, Robert Link wrote:
>
> 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?

If the newbie has been on the list for more than a few postings, he or she
can just skim back and figure this out.  Titles and/or ISBNs and/or URLs of
useful Perl books (not just ours but especially ours :-) have been
mentioned quite a lot recently. If not for more than a few postings: a
common suggestion for very new folks to any list or newsgroup is "lurk for
a while and read everything.  Good comes from this".  So we shall assume
the newbies have been lurking ;-)

>
> 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!"

I would hope that folks have taken a brief peek at what got installed when
they installed MacPerl!  Since everything is installed by default, it
doesn't take long to discover (on your own :-) that there is a README.MAC
file (you did read this of course) which discusses Shuck and on-line help
together, as well as a Shuck icon (Get Info shows that it's an application)
and a Shuck Manual which explains what Shuck is. If you do have a copy of
MacPerl: Power and Ease (aka "The Book") Shuck and its use are documented
in the Installation chapter and the Index.

However, Paul's statement could perhaps better be phrased as "Use the
online help.  It is extensive."


> 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.


Hmmm..., this is a Mac app.  While we are assuming (Mac)Perl newbies, I
think we need not assume Mac newbies. Maybe I'm different but when I get a
new Mac app I poke around: I look in all of the folders that got installed,
I open text files, I try out all the preferences, I try out all the menus.
There could be more startup info in the readme files, admittedly...

Obviously the list newbies have been reading some of this stuff, else they
would not have found the list :-).  Therefore, they may recognize more of
these terms that one might otherwise think.  The "Book" for example, is
listed in the MacPerl 5.2.0r4 Help menu...

Noted that we could improve a few areas:

Some lists post a copy of the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions ;-) once a
month or so; unfortunately the MacPerl FAQ has been out of date for a long
time.  My plan (when I get a few cycles) is to load the existing FAQ into
the FAQ-o-matic on the macperl web pages (http://www.ptf.com/macperl) and
then we can go on from there.

Also, my guess is that Matthias would probably accept input for
additions/modifications to the next version of the MacPerl README file; if
you'll send me your critiques and suggestions, I'll work something up.

Fair?
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