Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!smsc.sony.com!dce
From: dce@smsc.sony.com (David Elliott)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: Re: HELP ME PLEASE!!!
Message-ID: <1990Nov11.003127.24277@smsc.sony.com>
Date: 11 Nov 90 00:31:27 GMT
References: <17304@yunexus.YorkU.CA> <1990Nov10.162446.20443@smsc.sony.com> <12128:Nov1017:48:5690@kramden.acf.nyu.edu>
Organization: Sony Microsystems Corp, San Jose, CA
Lines: 23

In article <12128:Nov1017:48:5690@kramden.acf.nyu.edu> brnstnd@kramden.acf.nyu.edu (Dan Bernstein) writes:
>In article <1990Nov10.162446.20443@smsc.sony.com> dce@smsc.sony.com (David Elliott) writes:
>> On the other hand, the they really want
>> to dig in and become a competent Unix user/programmer or a systems
>> developer, there's no substitute for sitting down and reading the
>> manuals from cover to cover.
>
>I disagree. Reading the man pages is like reading a book on how a bike
>works. You'll never learn to ride a bike if you don't get out there and
>start practicing!

You're absolutely right.

I didn't mean that just reading the manual was a subsitute for
programming.  I meant that it was a substitute for having someone hold
your hand to learn Unix.  In fact, I feel that reading the manual is
superior to hand-holding for the beginner because it piques one's
curiosity.  There's nothing like finding out that there's a command
like "comm" or "rev" to make someone think.

Of course, it's nice to have experts around when you are getting into
the tough parts.  I was lucky to have experts like Steve Glaser, Andy
Crump, and Brad Needham around to get me through that middle period.