[rfc][icedtea-web] javaws.1 man page update

[Jiri Vanek]

On 08/24/2014 02:24 AM, Jacob Wisor wrote:
> On 08/23/2014 07:58 PM, Andrew Azores wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I looked at `man javaws` for some reason yesterday - no idea what I was looking
>> for or why - and thought it could do with some minor improvement. I've fixed a
>> few minor typos, improved the phrasing in a few areas, and made it more
>> consistent with capitalizing acronyms such as XML, HTML, and JNLP.
>>
>> Thanks,
>
> Yes, IcedTea-Web's documentation does indeed need some overhaul. So, thank you for bringing this up.
>
> I have proposed translated man pages *last* year but they have been bluntly dismissed because of
> Jiri's idea of generating those from source code. Well, it eludes me to this day how this could be

Not form source. From properties files.

> accomplished in a sensible way. I did not say it then but I think it is time to say it openly now:
> Generating sensibly translated documentation from source code is a delusion of megalomania (without
> using any AI or fuzzy logic technology). And to be honest, even if it worked I really do not see any
> benefit to it except for making things more complicated. What could be easier than editing a bunch
> of text files? No, we need to reinvent the wheel for a dubious purpose and outcome.
>
> So, here we are today... and nothing has happened, even though Jie Kang was the last one to touch on
> this. :-(

The approach was completely wrong and was adding more work rather then saving work.
Te idea is that half of the strings in man pages are in  properties fiels. And half whch is not is 
worthy to add here. If not only to have single place to maintain, but also to enhance help messges 
from itw itself.

for 1.6 Lukas is still assigned, although Jie seems to be working on this. If they will abandon it, 
ten somebody else will take it. Probably me, as it i my idea. And seems to  be not welcomed one ...

>
> To sum it up: Andrew, I would not be surprised if your good and plausible modifications to the
> javaws man page would get dismissed too... because you know, it can be generated from the source
> code... :-\
>
I have nothing against this. The reason to not have translated  man pages was the maintaining. Would 
you keep in sync? Would Alexande keep?

Would we keep the english ones? I have learned from state before ITW 1.5 no one was taking care 
about man pages:( nor ven about other doeumentation at all...