Standard Wiki phrase for editing config files

[Andrew Mathenge]

On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 3:02 PM, Ben Rousch <brousch at gmail.com> wrote:
> In https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WikiGuide/Style it is recommended
> that when writing HowTo articles you not use specific install commands
> like "apt-get", but instead should use the generic "Install package X
> from the Y repository". Is there a similar suggested phrase for
> editing config or other text files? I always use "sudo nano -w" but I
> know that many others use "gksudo gedit" or "sudo vi". It would be
> nice to have a standard phrase for this common situation.
>
> If such a standard phrase does not yet exist, may I suggest adding the
> following instruction to the Style guide:
>
> Editing text files - when documenting how to edit a config or text
> file, try to avoid recommending a particular editor (such as nano or
> vi) - instead, simply use the phrase "Edit the file /example/file". If
> appropriate, include a link to the page which documents the various
> text editors, PowerUsersTextEditor.
>

Sounds reasonable. The "Editing text files" example is easy to grasp, I'm
wondering if there is an example where being generic would be confusing
and not so helpful. Like burning CD's or even the example on that page
[https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WikiGuide/Style] on installing software.
I now know what "Install package X from repository Y" means, but if I had to
click away from what I'm trying to understand to study what a repository is
then the process of installing software becomes that much more tedious.

Perhaps there is a middle ground where being very specific is more helpful
than being generic.

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Andrew.