Re: 02/04: doc: Update README to refer to the manual.

[Jan Nieuwenhuizen]

Hi!

> commit c75a80189fc19f6ff8b4c82d1d1801be6763b6d2
> Author: Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
> AuthorDate: Tue Jun 2 14:50:54 2020 +0200
>
>     doc: Update README to refer to the manual.
>
>     * README (Requirements): Refer to the manual.
>     (Installation): Update URL of the manual.

Hmm, I don't like it!  Also, no rationale.

> +If you are building Guix from source, please see the manual for build
> +instructions and requirements, either by running:
>  
> -  - [[https://gnu.org/software/guile/][GNU Guile 2.2.x]]
> -  - [[https://notabug.org/cwebber/guile-gcrypt][Guile-Gcrypt]] 0.1.0 or later
> -  - [[https://www.gnu.org/software/make/][GNU Make]]
> -  - [[https://www.gnutls.org][GnuTLS]] compiled with guile support enabled
> -  - [[https://notabug.org/guile-sqlite3/guile-sqlite3][Guile-SQLite3]], 
> version 0.1.0 or later
> -  - [[https://gitlab.com/guile-git/guile-git][Guile-Git]]
> -  - [[http://www.zlib.net/][zlib]]
> -  - [[https://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/guile-json/][Guile-JSON]]
> +  info -f doc/guix.info "Requirements"

I can guess how the information in README is a duplication of what we have
in the maunual, and possibly even (somewhat) out of date, so for us as
developers/maintainers this means extra work...

> +or by checking the 
> [[https://guix.gnu.org/manual/en/html_node/Installation.html][web copy of the 
> manual]].
>  
>  For information on installation from a Git checkout, please see the section
>  "Building from Git" in the manual.

...but as a new potential user of a software I have often cursed the
makers for providing "empty" READMEs that refer to documentation that is
neither built (yet) or shipped, or needs a viewer/web browser; making it
most convenient for them, the writers, and not for me, the reader;
leaving me puzzled ... "So, you'd rather not have me use your software?"

I'm wondering if you haven't had that experience, and how you look at
this...

As an aside: what has always puzzled me is that GNU has failed/not
bothered yet to come up with some sort of standard file to list a
package's dependencies.  If you're lucky, it's available in human
readable form README, or INSTALL, or ...

Sorry to be so grumpy ;)

Greetings,
Janneke

-- 
Jan Nieuwenhuizen <janneke@gnu.org> | GNU LilyPond http://lilypond.org
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