Re: [Bug-tar] tar auto detect compression

[Stefano Lattarini]

On 01/15/2012 01:41 PM, Joerg Schilling wrote:
> Mark Krenz <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
>> On Sat, Jan 14, 2012 at 09:35:29AM GMT, Sergey Poznyakoff address@hidden 
>> said the following:
>>>
>>> No, and there are no plans of doing so either. Tar is fully documented
>>> in texinfo format. The manual is included in the distribution. Apart
>>> from that, it is available online in various formats at
>>> http://www.gnu.org/software/tar/manual. Given all that, I see no reason
>>> in any additional man pages.
>>>
>>
>>   You make it sound like man pages are going away.
> 
> This is a false claim from Richard Stallman.....
> 
> The POSIX standard defines man pages and for this reason, man pages have the 
> first priority for documentation. Whether or not there is additional 
> documentation is another (less important) aspect.
> 
> And BTW: the fact that the man system offers a better user interface
>
Not better: rather, simpler.  But I agree that, if one wants to give a quick
look to the generalities or basic examples, or double-check the meaning of an
option, then simpler is better.  That's why many other GNU projects also offer
a minimal manpage (with the explicit proviso that the "real", complete
documentation is in the info manual).

> seems to be the reason why people are requesting man pages.
> 
> Wouldn't it be apropriate after more than 20 years, that the attempt to 
> introduce a different documentation system by GNU failed
>
Wait, while you (and I, in fact), might not like the info format nor the info 
reader,
you should keep in mind that the *.texi input from which the info pages are 
generated
can also (and usually is) be converted to HTML and PDF output of good quality.  
And
personally, I find the Texinfo markup language quite elegant, clear, and easy 
to use.

> and to switch to the standard?
> 
> Jörg
> 

Regards,
  Stefano