From: aidan@skinner.demon.co.uk (Aidan Skinner)
Subject: Re: Newbie in distress :-)
Date: 1999/10/26
Date: 1999-10-26T00:00:00+00:00 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <slrn81c71g.18f.aidan@skinner.demon.co.uk> (raw)
In-Reply-To: wccpuy3qpmb.fsf@world.std.com
On Mon, 25 Oct 1999 18:09:16 GMT, Robert A Duff <bobduff@world.std.com> wrote:
>The technique of *writing* books seems to be getting lost, too.
I dunno, I've read some *real* dross from the distant past[1]. But
there does seem to be more of it, especially in the computing area.
>But the documentation consists of a twisty maze of tiny snippets of
>information connected together with hyper-links, in which I wander
>aimlessly, re-reading the same paragraphs over and over...
>
>Or am I just showing my age?
Nah, I was only born in 1980 and I've had the same experience, this
particularly seems to be a problem with shareware applications. Free
software seems to be better though.
OTOH I'm a compulsive reader, and tend to have about 9 books on the go
at one time.
>You mean they haven't seen the book until they get into the exam?
>I don't see the point of that -- why not let them read it ahead of time?
I think this way it teaches people the value of properly written
documentation, and also checks that they've understood the principles
behind what they're doing and can't just regurgitate the correct
answer by rememebring as large a possible set of questions as they
can.
- Aidan
[1] Although I have to say that the worst book I've ever attempted to
read was Battlefield Earth by L Ron Hubbard and that was only
1960-something. I was warned, unfortuantely I didn't listen. I've
since learned.
--
"I say we just bury him and eat dessert"
http://www.skinner.demon.co.uk/aidan/
OpenPGP Key Fingerprint: 9858 33E6 C755 7D34 B5C5 316D 9274 1343 FBE6 99D9
next prev parent reply other threads:[~1999-10-26 0:00 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 17+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
[not found] <7urnh6$4ov$1@news2.inter.net.il>
1999-10-23 0:00 ` Newbie in distress :-) David C. Hoos, Sr.
[not found] ` <Pine.A41.3.96-heb-2.07.991023170713.120704A-100000@pluto.mscc.huji.ac.il >
1999-10-23 0:00 ` Matthew Heaney
1999-10-24 0:00 ` David Botton
1999-10-24 0:00 ` Ehud Lamm
1999-10-24 0:00 ` David Botton
1999-10-24 0:00 ` Guy Cohen
1999-10-28 0:00 ` Another " Charles Hixson
1999-10-28 0:00 ` David Botton
1999-10-23 0:00 ` Ehud Lamm
1999-10-24 0:00 ` Robert Dewar
1999-10-24 0:00 ` Aidan Skinner
1999-10-25 0:00 ` Ted Dennison
1999-10-24 0:00 ` Ehud Lamm
1999-10-25 0:00 ` Robert A Duff
1999-10-26 0:00 ` Aidan Skinner [this message]
1999-10-25 0:00 ` Ted Dennison
1999-10-28 0:00 ` Gautier
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