Re: [PATCH] git-reset.txt: Use commit~1 notation over commit^
- From
Drew Northup <drew.northup@maine.edu>
- Date
- Dec 2, 2010, 12:51 UTC
- Message-ID
- <1291294266.20062.10.camel@drew-northup.unet.maine.edu>
- In-Reply-To
- <87bp54s770.fsf@picasso.cante.net>
On Thu, 2010-12-02 at 14:14 +0200, Jari Aalto wrote:
Show 30 quoted lines
> 2010-12-02 08:17 Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org>: > > Jari Aalto <jari.aalto@cante.net> writes: > > > >>> Additionaly, you must know about the ^ notation. That is the only way > >>> refer to the second parent HEAD^2, for example. > >> > >> If "must" is a requirement, I have to regret that there has yet to have > >> been a situation where I would ahve a need to refer to "second parent". > >> > >> I guess most of the basic features can be used without it. > > > > It doesn't matter. There needs to be a better reason than "Jari doesn't > > like it." > > This has nothing to do with liking. It how infomation is read. When > information is consistent, it lessens cognitive load. > > In the "fine print" git-rev-parse(1) there can be the gory details. > > most of the commenters probably are already experts and therefor wear > "expert glasses on". It's not necessarily the same for starters. > Certainly not when you try to teach 100 people. One form is much better > in that situation than variations. You only do it at the end: > > "[After finishing 6 week training] Btw, if you need more details > look at...." > > Experts can later pick anything they want. > > Jari
I have worked in instructional settings, as the instructor. I can say flat out that this is an incomplete view of the learning patterns of people being newly exposed to a concept or a technology. Besides, many people who consult manpages often think of themselves as experts (and may think better of the idea after consulting the documentation).
The reality is that learning is not nearly as proscribed and rote a process as you are making it out to be. Rote memorization is good for learning multiplications tables, alphabets, and the approximate values of e and pi. It is not particularly suited for learning grammars and syntaxes--which is why language and algebra are typically not taught that way. Programming and using computers benefits greatly from presenting multiple varied examples--even to the supposed experts who probably don't know it all either.
Leave the odd examples in the manpages--people depend on them being there.
-- -Drew Northup N1XIM AKA RvnPhnx on OPN ________________________________________________ "As opposed to vegetable or mineral error?" -John Pescatore, SANS NewsBites Vol. 12 Num. 59