Subj : Re: Switch to linux
To   : Andre Robitaille
From : g00r00
Date : Sat Aug 22 2020 12:38 am

 AR>  NB> Because newcomers to linux shouldn't have it *that* easy.
 AR> 
 AR> Things need to be either intuitive or documented. 
 AR> 
 AR> The shell field of the event editor is neither intuitive nor documented.
 AR> If anything, it's a right of passage.

I agree the event stuff needs to be gathered from whatsnews and put onto the
Wiki.  I'll look into doing that the next time I am on there making edits. But
I am curious why you're saying the shell field is not intuitive or documented
and what you have in mind to improve it?

When you set the shell field in the editor it tells you right in the editor
that the field is the command line that will be executed when the event runs.
What more should be said about that?  If a person doesn't know what a shell is
or a command line is, then they're already in over their heads trying to run a
BBS (especially on Linux).

Mystic's event system already has a full screen dedicated to events, their
execution times and types, and also tracks potential issues (which is how we
knew the event was failing with error 127).  A quick Google of "error code 127
linux" gets an explaination in about 30 seconds of effort.  Having a view into
your events status so you can easily spot an issue and then being able to
determine what that error is in about 30 seconds of effort isn't exactly a bad
system!  Certainly better than most!

The ./ thing specifically is tricky because its not Mystic, its Linux. By
trying to explain it I'd be getting into trying to teach people how Linux
works.  There are times when adding a ./ would break things too.  Its a deep
rabbit hole to jump into in terms of documenting, and maybe better suited for
linking to some how-to Linux guides or something.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/13 (Windows/64)
 * Origin: Sector 7 | Mystic WHQ (1:129/215)

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