Nick Maclaren <nmm%cl.cam@ucl-cs.arpa> (01/25/85)
Does anyone know of a HELP system for UNIX?
Is there a a decent, extensive (and preferably maintained) HELP system
for UNIX around? This should be keyword driven, if possible, but a
well-written menu one would do. It is the database that is wanted, as
the program is a negligible part of the system.
We are interested in a HELP system to enable an 'ordinary' user (who has
no interest in computing for its own sake) to use UNIX after a few hours
instruction, without having to call for help or search through the
manual every few minutes. This would enable one UNIX guru to stay
half-sane while advising hundreds of users.
For example, "help deleting files" should say that the "rm" command can
be used, but may cross-reference other information. "help segmentation
error" should describe what that message actually means, and what
programming errors normally cause it. "help how do I create a file"
should describe how files are created, and not that the "how" command
does not exist.
A good HELP system will also include examples of how to use commands,
warnings of common problems, and so on. It will not always type these,
but will prompt the user in terms like: "Would you like more
information? The subjects available are:". The fundamental nature of a
HELP system is that it attempts to describe things in the user's terms.
We have such a HELP database for our fairly user-friendly system built
on top of IBM MVS (sic); I estimate that the database took us about 10
man-years to write and is cheap at the price. It is very doubtful that
we could repeat this effort for UNIX, or could afford to support UNIX
(for a potential 500 users per computing service adviser) without this.
If anyone is thinking along the lines of "man -k", "learn", anything
involving "grep" or an online version of "XYZ's noddy guide to UNIX",
please can they not reply to this question. These are not relevant to
the requirement I am talking about.
Please reply to:
nmm%uk.ac.cam.cl@ucl-cs.arpa
or:
nmm1%uk.ac.cam.phx%uk.ac.cam-icf@ucl-cs.arpa
Nick Maclaren
University of Cambridge Computing ServiceDoug Gwyn (VLD/VMB) <gwyn@Brl-Vld.ARPA> (01/27/85)
AT&T plans such a facility in future releases. Perhaps you can figure out how to get them to sketch its user interface, so we don't end up with several similar-but-different help systems.
Nick Maclaren <nmm%cl.cam@ucl-cs.arpa> (01/28/85)
Sorry about that - my line hung up and I forgot I wasn't in ed. .... information. While we consciously add new main entries, most of the cross-references and clarifications are done in response to users' moans. If you would like a copy of the spec. of our HELP program, I can try to send you one. It is fairly short (a few hundred lines), but somewhat misleading. It gives absolutely no feel for the system, and most of the fancier facilities are not actually used. The actual program is only a thousand lines of assembler or so.
netnews@wnuxb.UUCP (Ron Heiby) (02/05/85)
In article <7737@brl-tgr.ARPA> Doug Gwyn (VLD/VMB) <gwyn@Brl-Vld.ARPA> writes: >AT&T plans such a facility in future releases. >Perhaps you can figure out how to get them to sketch >its user interface, so we don't end up with several >similar-but-different help systems. The AT&T Help facility was described in fairly good detail at the Salt Lake City Usenix Conference (Summer 1984). The paper is found on page 253 of the proceedings and is entitled, "The UNIX System HELP Facility" and is by Thomas W. Butler and Lisa A. Kennedy of AT&T Bell Laboratories. As I recall, a pocket reference to HELP was given out at the conference. As to "future releases", the HELP facility is a part of AT&T Unix System V Release 2.0 AT&T 3B2 Version 1. It is bundled with the 3B2 as one of the included "essential utilities", but is on floppy so you don't have to let it take up any hard disk space. SVR2 is currently being shipped on new 3B2 systems. Have fun! -- Ronald W. Heiby / ihnp4!{wnuxa!heiby|wnuxb!netnews} AT&T Information Systems, Inc. Lisle, IL (CU-D21)
guy@rlgvax.UUCP (Guy Harris) (02/08/85)
> As to "future releases", the HELP facility is a part of AT&T Unix System > V Release 2.0 AT&T 3B2 Version 1. Yes, but when is it coming out in source-code form on a non-3B release? 3B releases don't do the vast majority of UNIX users much good. Guy Harris {seismo,ihnp4,allegra}!rlgvax!guy