'386 Unix Wars

[Conor P. Cahill]

In article <357 at metran.UUCP> jay at metran.UUCP (Jay Ts) writes:
>
>  [flame of permuted indexes deleted]
>
>Basically, the permuted index works well only for those with enough experience
>and knowledge to already know exactly where to look.  If you think there's
>nothing wrong with having the permuted index as the sole index, then I guess
>you can take this as a compliment.

You go on and on about how bad the permuted index is when our real complaint
(and somewhat justified) is that the one-line description of the manual page
(which is used to build the permuted index) is not always conceived with
the thought that it is the basis for the index.

>What is needed, IMO, is a real index (IN ADDITION to the permuted one) that
>is created the old fashioned way, by a thoughtful human reading through the
>book and making index entries for each subject wherever it appears.

I would rather see a better description line which would make the permuted
index even better.  Perhaps a better solution would be to insert a couple
of different description lines, if appropriate.

-- 
Conor P. Cahill            (703)430-9247        Virtual Technologies, Inc.,
uunet!virtech!cpcahil                           46030 Manekin Plaza, Suite 160
                                                Sterling, VA 22170