Error in FreeBSD handbook

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In section 5.7.1. 'GNOME' of the handbook, the second method of starting GNOME states:

A second method for starting GNOME is to type startx from the command-line after configuring ~/.xinitrc. If this file already exists, replace the line that starts the current window manager with one that starts /usr/local/bin/gnome-session. If this file does not exist, create it with this command:

% echo "exec /usr/local/bin/gnome-session" > ~/.xinitrc
Click to expand...


There is a problem with that command. The percentage sign and the space after it should not be there. It should be this:

% echo "exec /usr/local/bin/gnome-session" > ~/.xinitrc
 
The % is part of the prompt. It indicates that it's a user login. Compare:
User prompt:
Code: 
dice@molly:~ %
Root prompt:
Code: 
root@molly:~ #

Look:
% echo "exec /usr/local/bin/gnome-session" > ~/.xinitrc
# service named restart
See the difference?
 
Ah ok. It should be removed from the command then. People who don't know much about FreeBSD won't realise that's a mistake in the instruction.

Thanks
 
Just replying to your edit.

Yeah I see the difference. Thank you.

It should be removed from the command anyhow. It is not part of the command.
 
It's part of the documentation convention. Commands executed as a user will have a % prompt, commands executed as root have a # prompt.
 
Who ever is editing my posts, please stop it.
 
Kolusion said:
Who ever is editing my posts, please stop it.
Click to expand...
No.

forums.freebsd.org

Formatting Guidelines

1. Please write as clearly as possible. Use English punctuation and capitalization, and avoid abbreviating things. This helps to improve the clarity of messages and make problems easier to solve. 2. Use BBCode formatting tags. As with punctuation, these tags make messages easier to read...
forums.freebsd.org forums.freebsd.org
 
What ever document convention means I don't know, but the instruction literaly states to run that command; it is not part of the command, therefore it should be removed from the command.
 
I'm guessing your one of those control freak administrators that drives people away from FreeBSD to Linux.

If you want me to format my posts better, tell me. Being a Nazi about it just makes me like you less.
 
Kolusion said:
What ever document convention means I don't know, […]
Click to expand...
It means: that's the way people have agreed to do things for a long time, and you can either accept it, or continue to be angry.

In any case, it's not getting changed in the handbook.

By the way, the same convention is frequently used in Linux documentation. There, $ true is used more commonly than % true, but both mean: "run this command as user". # true means "run this command as root" in both worlds.
 
Kolusion said:
I'm guessing your one of those control freak administrators that drives people away from FreeBSD to Linux.
Click to expand...
It was me that edited your posts. And no, I'm not going to stop doing that, it's part of my job here. We have a certain "style" we like to keep so the forums have a nice, clean, consistent, look and feel. If you make sure they're properly formatted I don't have to edit them.
 
mtu

What gives you the impression I am angry? I am not angry so don't worry.

If it's not getting changed in the handbook then don't complain when vendors don't release drivers for FreeBSD, because until the handbook is improved, FreeBSD's marketshare won't increase and vendors will have no concern about FreeBSD drivers.

Who cares what Linux does. You definitely don't want to be copying Linux when it comes to documentation


drhowarddrfine

Why is that?
 
Kolusion Your attitude and disrespect for the forum and its moderators. This place isn't like Linux or reddit, which I'm sure you're used to. Most here are professionals or serious amateurs. Decorum is important.
 
Kolusion said:
If it's not getting changed in the handbook then don't complain when vendors don't release drivers for FreeBSD, because until the handbook is improved, FreeBSD's marketshare won't increase and vendors will have no concern about FreeBSD drivers.
Click to expand...
The handbook has used that convention for the past 30 or so years. I'm sure we'll survive.
 
On psychological level of Kolusion, i sense a feeling of a superiority complex. Mostly found in youthfull people or immature ones.
$ , %, # with or without, for me it's ok if it's clear.
 
drhowarddrfine

That's very interesting, but this forum has a section for development which is where I created this post before it was moved.

Improving the product documentation sounds like development to me.
 
This convention has been in use for decades - may have started in Usenet or email even before that. Originally % was to indicate csh, $ to indicate /bin/sh and # to indicate a super user shell (or csh). At least that is how I remember it!
 
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