How to be helpful

[Gilles Gravier]

Hi!

Derek Broughton wrote:
>> 4: Make sure your information is COMPLETE. Terse is OK. Obtuse is not.
>> If someone asks how to flibble a wodget, don't just answer
>> "run /usr/sbin/flibbler". Direct them to a man page, 
>>     
> No, I'm not buying that one.  If I tell somebody to run /usr/sbin/flibbler,
> I _expect_ them to "man flibbler".  Though my advice would normally be "man
> flibbler", rather than "run flibbler".
>   
Yes, actually... :)

Teaching by example is a VERY (if not THE MOST) efficient way to teach.

So DO tell them to run /usr/sbin/flibbler ... with the proper 
parameters. Then drive the point in by telling them that they can find 
more interesting uses to the command flibbler by typing man flibbler and 
suggesting that they do that for other commands as well since Linux 
inherited the man pages from the Unix world. And while you're at it, 
suggest to them the use of a very very interesting, and useful, command 
: apropos ...

Gilles.