Show me the output before I install it!

When you're releasing a module, please show a sample use or the output somewhere in the documentation so that people like me who are interested in your module can have some idea of what it looks like and how I'd use it.

I take for example this new distro, pfacter, which purports to "Collect and display facts about the system." Sounds great, but how do I use it? I see a little program. Can I see some sample output? Please? There's nothing in the README or any kind of synopsis that shows it.

Of course, I don't mean to pick on this one distro. It's just the one that disappointed me just now and made me post this. It's something that has always frustrated me, especially as I try to find cool new modules to mention here or over in Mechanix.

(No need to point out that I haven't do this for ack myself. It's on my todo. :-) )

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1 Comments

I downloaded 'ack' a few months ago and now it's already in my box of utils I'll not be able to live without. I love it. No need for an output sample really but maybe you're right, a quick preview won't hurt.

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This page contains a single entry by Andy Lester published on January 30, 2008 7:53 PM.

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