[GRASS-dev] [GRASS-PSC] too many branches => retirement GRASS6.5.svn (=develbranch6)

[Yann Chemin]

 Agreeing with Moritz,

"In other words, there are some types of users (those that don't read
anything provided by the developers) for whom I am sometimes tempted to
just say "RTFM" instead of trying to find ways to make it possible for them
to still use GRASS"

I used to start my GRASS GIS courses by saying to students that this is not
going to work if you do not read the instructions. Invariably, those who
did not listen to that would come back frustrated 30 minutes later...

Cheers
Yann


On 9 April 2014 12:51, Moritz Lennert <mlennert at club.worldonline.be> wrote:

> On 09/04/14 03:17, Vaclav Petras wrote:
>
>>
>> On Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 9:09 PM, Glynn Clements <glynn at gclements.plus.com
>> <mailto:glynn at gclements.plus.com>> wrote:
>>
>>     If there's no Python installed, the installer can install it. If
>>     Python is installed and the version is compatible, the installer can
>>     install any required packages. Otherwise, it can at least inform the
>>     user of the situation and enumerate the options.
>>
>>
>> This is a good point, the documentation must be in the installer, not a
>> separate file. For example Git installer for MS Windows list three
>> options how to install git and other command line tools with an
>> explanation. The problem is that only part of the users will read it and
>> only part of them will understand all the consequences (I mean, I was
>> not sure when I saw installing Git installation for the first time).
>>
>
> I think part of this discussion boils down to the very old debate about
> how far we should go in taking the user's hand. Do we really want to
> compete with programs that "just do the work for you", thus having to think
> of every possible problem they might face, or do we decide that even though
> we can lower the entrance hurdle a bit, GRASS does demand some more
> involvement from the user than other software.
>
> Personally, I am a bit afraid that by going down the first route we
> concentrate much developer time that could be spent on other (IMHO more
> useful) things and we also risk to make GRASS less efficient for those that
> have taken the time to pass the hurdle.
>
> In other words, there are some types of users (those that don't read
> anything provided by the developers) for whom I am sometimes tempted to
> just say "RTFM" instead of trying to find ways to make it possible for them
> to still use GRASS.
>
> Moritz
>
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