[MPlayer-users] firewalls needed :)

[D J Hawkey Jr]

On Dec 19, at 02:05 PM, Gabucino wrote:
> 
> > b) It's organized extremely poorly
> 
> Where? Matter of taste.. Send patch.

Believe it or not, Gabucino, there are standards for documentation.

You might try looking around at the sections of a man document, and
start with that, rather than writing what you feel how you feel it,
and then challenging others to improve it.

> > c) requires an ENORMOUS amount of technical knowledge just to understand the
> 
> a, it's worth it

"Matter of taste", no?

> > (like settting up GUI - why isn't there a configuration section?)
> 
> A what? Where? How? Why?

Uh-huh. Right. Disavowing knowledge always helps.

> > If you (the list) are going to answer questions like jerks, don't be
> > surprised if people think that you are.
> 
> It's alright for me :)

A'rpi, are you paying attention to this? IMHO, where to start for "damage
control" is rather obvious.

> > I think that for the list "mplayer-USERS" (this is not by convention a
> > devel list), if you can't say something constructive other than read the manual,
> > and not be inflammatory in the process, you should just punt the question.  
> 
> True, but Arpi just can't leave the list. It gives too much entertainment,
> in days of heavy development :)

Baiting the user is not an appropriate avenue for venting frustration.
Must anyone really have to say this?

Try screaming into a pillow.

> > It took me several shots, as things like "./configure --help
> > " doesn't list 
> > all the parameters (like --enable-gui).  I know of *NO* other program that
> 
> Constant problem :( Nobody really updates the source's RTFM, only I, and
> mostly only the DOCS.

How about 1) more communication between you (docs) and A`rpi, et.al.
(production), and 2) If you are "docs", document!

Passing responsibility to the user community isn't the right approach.
You all are "manufacturing" a "product". It doesn't matter if it's OSS
or not. Take responsibility for all aspects of the product.

> > requires me to read the ENTIRE doc just to run configure. 
> 
> You know: it's an agreement between other developers and me. Users can't
> install unless they RTFM, so my efforts aren't in vain ;)

Ah. So, is it a question of y'all being lazy, or intentionally vague?
Why would you want to frustrate the same group that will ultimately
make or break the success of MPlayer?

> Gabucino

Gabucino, so far you're the only one that is defending your current
practices, and several have agreed (if only in part) with my observations.
Even A`rpi has been mute on the subject, and he opened the discussion.

Doesn't this tell you something?

Dave

-- 
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