4 ms·

Love the project but I really wish projects (especially linux projects) would include a "plain english" description of what this does at the top. Like, even one

Love the project but I really wish projects (especially linux projects) would include a "plain english" description of what this does at the top. Like, even one sentence. 1. Not everyone knows what AutoHotkey is and what it does. I had to google it. 2. Not everyone speaks english. Diving into a description that includes words like "fault tolerant, extensible, high availability" so infuriatingly confusing.

frostwarrior 4y ago
I don't think that (2) is OP's fault. Look the words up in a dictionary. It's ok not to know and to learn but you shouldn't expect everyone to adapt to your lack of knowledge.
- InCityDreams 4y ago
  ....explain it like I'm 5 years old?
  - capableweb 4y ago
    If everyone wrote software to be used by 5 years old without any interest in looking up things they don't understand (yet) themselves, we'd never move the field forward.
    - xupybd 4y ago
      AutoHotKey is not normally aimed at developers but highly skilled administrators. If you target your advertising at this market you would likely get more traction. Moving the field of software development is about solving more problems for people without putting a large learning curve in their way. Yes some aspects will always require expertise but that is not an advantage.
  - Vrondi 4y ago
    Dictionary is good for learning words.
- ttnj9ZKCVQAAbxK 4y ago
  A dictionary probably won't give you a useful definition for most of those terms. They're jargon. But then again I would add (3) they're just buzzwords that don't actually tell you anything...
  - OJFord 4y ago
    Perhaps not HA, but 'fault tolerant' and 'extensible' are pretty apt.
boredtofears 4y ago
#2 is pretty common software lingo. If you’re esl you definitely are going to want to look that one up.
- throwamon 4y ago
  Pretty ironic to write "esl" instead of the expanded form.
  - boredtofears 4y ago
    what's ironic about it?
    - throwamon 4y ago
      If someone "is ESL", it's less likely that they will know what "ESL" means, so it's another layer for them to parse.
      - boredtofears 4y ago
        That doesn't really fit the definition of irony...
        throwamon 4y ago
        Oh no. I guess it's my ESL showing.
phil294 4y ago
1. Thank you for the suggestion. I added the one-liner description from the Windows website to the top of the Readme. 2. Those words aren't in the Readme so I'm a bit confused. I guess these were just examples though. I am not a native speaker either though... if you really think there's uncommon words to be found, I would welcome a PR.
- dotancohen 4y ago
  > I added the one-liner description from the Windows website. Bad idea, you don't need an infringement case. Try this instead: "An easy to learn language for automating your Linux computer". People who don't know what AHK is don't care that this project is a port of it, so no need to mention that in the description.
  - krsdcbl 4y ago
    tbh your suggestion would confuse me as well, i think the scope or better said usp of ahk is more specific, and the proposed description could very well mean bash or other comparable tools

frostwarrior 4y ago

I don't think that (2) is OP's fault. Look the words up in a dictionary. It's ok not to know and to learn but you shouldn't expect everyone to adapt to your lack of knowledge.

InCityDreams 4y ago
....explain it like I'm 5 years old?
- capableweb 4y ago
  If everyone wrote software to be used by 5 years old without any interest in looking up things they don't understand (yet) themselves, we'd never move the field forward.
  - xupybd 4y ago
    AutoHotKey is not normally aimed at developers but highly skilled administrators. If you target your advertising at this market you would likely get more traction. Moving the field of software development is about solving more problems for people without putting a large learning curve in their way. Yes some aspects will always require expertise but that is not an advantage.
- Vrondi 4y ago
  Dictionary is good for learning words.
ttnj9ZKCVQAAbxK 4y ago
A dictionary probably won't give you a useful definition for most of those terms. They're jargon. But then again I would add (3) they're just buzzwords that don't actually tell you anything...
- OJFord 4y ago
  Perhaps not HA, but 'fault tolerant' and 'extensible' are pretty apt.

boredtofears 4y ago

#2 is pretty common software lingo. If you’re esl you definitely are going to want to look that one up.

throwamon 4y ago
Pretty ironic to write "esl" instead of the expanded form.
- boredtofears 4y ago
  what's ironic about it?
  - throwamon 4y ago
    If someone "is ESL", it's less likely that they will know what "ESL" means, so it's another layer for them to parse.
    - boredtofears 4y ago
      That doesn't really fit the definition of irony...
      - throwamon 4y ago
        Oh no. I guess it's my ESL showing.

phil294 4y ago

1. Thank you for the suggestion. I added the one-liner description from the Windows website to the top of the Readme. 2. Those words aren't in the Readme so I'm a bit confused. I guess these were just examples though. I am not a native speaker either though... if you really think there's uncommon words to be found, I would welcome a PR.

dotancohen 4y ago
> I added the one-liner description from the Windows website. Bad idea, you don't need an infringement case. Try this instead: "An easy to learn language for automating your Linux computer". People who don't know what AHK is don't care that this project is a port of it, so no need to mention that in the description.
- krsdcbl 4y ago
  tbh your suggestion would confuse me as well, i think the scope or better said usp of ahk is more specific, and the proposed description could very well mean bash or other comparable tools