[ic] Beima's Response!

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 17:48:07 -0400

John,

Thanks for the offer.  You suggested that if there is a question about how 
to use the documentation, then we should ask.  I appreciate your offer.  I 
think that may be helpful to a lot of us.  InterChange seems to be a great 
program and I am really enjoy working with it.  I have read through ever 
single page of the documentation on the Red Hat interchange site (the six 
PDF documents) ... and very frankly Jim is right that the references in the 
documentation do not relate directly to the software package currently 
being distributed.  There is a lot of reference to simple and another 
sample store that does not exist in the current distribution (at least as 
far as I can see).

I know that in the open source world we have to be willing to dig in and do 
some learning for our self ... and I want to do that.  However since you 
have suggested that we ask about how to use the documentation, I would like 
to take you up on this.  Maybe then we would not waste so much of your time 
with issues that we should be able to find in the documentation if we only 
had the training.

One of the topics that you may want to illustrate on is the topic of email 
confirmation to the customer.  In the FAQ online it says to look into the 
documentation.  In the documentation there is a simple three line statement 
talking about how we should use the [mail...] tag ... the problem is that 
in my searching both of the Web site and the pdf documentation there is no 
details that I can find on the use of the [mail...] tag (and yes I 
understand that the dos are not literal.  Any while I have started my store 
on the path of using the confirmation provided in construct, I have no idea 
how it is happening or what actually envokes it ... For instance why is the 
report. file used instead of the receipt.html file.  Things like that ... 
and simply what are the options for this feature.

I understand there is no obligation for anyone to answer any of these 
questions ... I know that you folks are all busy and if you can not or 
choose not to answer I understand and will continue to struggle along.   I 
am not trying to get a free ride ... in fact I would like to contribute and 
help any way that I can ... and maybe the best way to start is learning 
more about how the experts suggest we use the documentation.

I appreciate all of your expertise and help.

Christopher Van Oosterhout

>The documentation is actaually very good and very helpfull, once it sets in on
>how Mike has written it. Which can be confusing... Then ask HOW to use the
>documentation.
>
>Simply put questions that are ignored are most likely do to the fact they have
>been asked 50 times before or they are simply in the documentation if you read
>it...
>
>I am tired of getting 20 messages a day from people who want a free ride. 
>If you
>plan on installing Interchange and then selling your services to the public,
>then the least you can do is READ THE DOCUMENTATION from start to finish!
>
>Also it has become more and more anoying people saying "Hey this is a 
>bug!" when
>it is in fact a feature put there, that is they took to the time to READ THE
>DOCUMENTATION they would know why it is happeneing...
>
>Frankly quit wasting the lists bandwidth and time with questions that are
>answered in the documentation...
>
>John Beima
>
>
>
>Quoting Jim Balcom <jim@idk-enterprises.com>:
>
> > On Sun, 1 Apr 2001, John Beima wrote:
> >
> > JB>>Date: Sun, 01 Apr 2001 14:52:20 -0600 (MDT)
> > JB>>From: John Beima <jbeima@reality.palb.com>
> > JB>>Reply-To: interchange-users@lists.akopia.com
> > JB>>To: interchange-users@lists.akopia.com
> > JB>>Subject: Re: [ic] Construct Us Demo Colors (Need to convert to a
> > JB>>    variable)
> > JB>>
> > JB>>Actually my last resoonce to you applies here to... Read the
> > documentation...
> >
> > Frankly, I would much prefer to deal with the non-responses that I have
> > been (not) getting to my questions than to have to deal with smarta**
> > answers like yours.
> >
> > I don't know what documentation you have, but I downloaded, printed out
> > and bound the documentation that came in the PDF format. It has no
> > comparison to anything that I am seeing on my computer!  I don't find
> > it to be useful at all. I've been programming for 23 years, and writing
> > in C for 15 years. I can't begin to comprehend the frustration that
> > newcomers are having to go through when I consider the frustration
> > level that I am at.
> >
> > And, then to see your smarta** response!
> >
> > -= Jim =-
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------
> > Jim's Linux-Operated Underground Bomb Shelter
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Tagline for Sunday, April 01, 2001 at 17:00 PM:
> > All I need to know I learned from my cat.
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------
> > This Linux System has been up 45 hours
> >
> > My web page: http://www.idk-enterprises.com
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Interchange-users mailing list
> > Interchange-users@lists.akopia.com
> > http://lists.akopia.com/mailman/listinfo/interchange-users
> >
>
>
>
>John Beima
>jbeima@palb.com, support@alocalagent.com, and support@alocalchurch.com
>
>P.A.L.B. Systems - Phone: (780)451-1086 - Fax: (780)447-4760
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>
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