3 ms·

Does anyone here actually use the GNU info documentation?

by jrmg 8mo ago

kevin_thibedeau 8mo ago
I occasionally use gnu info. My favorite tool is pinfo which has a man mode that adds navigable links to cross references in man pages and can shell out to hyperlinks. I usually have that aliased as man.
- krunck 8mo ago
  Just installed pinfo. Nice. Thanks!
ho_schi 8mo ago
No. Every man page is better, concise, easy to access. GNU Info should be like a browser but it makes something simple into something complicated.
teddyh 8mo ago
I use it all the time, preferring it to everything else¹. Especially when reading the Python documentation. 1. <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44213303 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44213303>
- jrmg 8mo ago
  I’m sorry people are downvoting you for just replying to my question!
- scoops_ 8mo ago
  This sounds interesting, how are you getting python docs in the `texinfo` format? I’ve used zeal a fair amount or *.read the docs.io, but always looking for local alternatives. A quick search online didn’t have much info
  - teddyh 8mo ago
    I said “Info”, not “Texinfo”. But you can build Info files from Texinfo. apt install python3-sphinx apt-get source python3.13-doc cd python3.13-3.13.5/Doc make texinfo cd build/texinfo make info
SoftTalker 8mo ago
No. I have no idea how it works, it's like being a new user in vi and not knowing how to quit.
- fanf2 8mo ago
  `info foo | less` is a better info reader than `info foo`
advisedwang 8mo ago
I use the online versions, e.g. https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_node/index.html https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_node/index.htm.... In this form they are pretty good documentation (although that is usually due to being comprehensive and adequately written, nothing really to do with info beyond supporting adequate structure).
mook 8mo ago
I use it in particular for bash, mostly because it has better expositions for parameter expansions. To the point that I know searching for "%%" in particular will get me to the correct section. For everything else… I think it's also necessary for GNU find expressions?

Does anyone here actually use the GNU info documentation?

by jrmg 8mo ago

Does anyone here actually use the GNU info documentation?

I occasionally use gnu info. My favorite tool is pinfo which has a man mode that adds navigable links to cross references in man pages and can shell out to hyperlinks. I usually have that aliased as man.

krunck 8mo ago
Just installed pinfo. Nice. Thanks!

ho_schi 8mo ago

No. Every man page is better, concise, easy to access. GNU Info should be like a browser but it makes something simple into something complicated.

teddyh 8mo ago

I use it all the time, preferring it to everything else¹. Especially when reading the Python documentation. 1. <https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44213303 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44213303>

jrmg 8mo ago
I’m sorry people are downvoting you for just replying to my question!
scoops_ 8mo ago
This sounds interesting, how are you getting python docs in the `texinfo` format? I’ve used zeal a fair amount or *.read the docs.io, but always looking for local alternatives. A quick search online didn’t have much info
- teddyh 8mo ago
  I said “Info”, not “Texinfo”. But you can build Info files from Texinfo. apt install python3-sphinx apt-get source python3.13-doc cd python3.13-3.13.5/Doc make texinfo cd build/texinfo make info

SoftTalker 8mo ago

No. I have no idea how it works, it's like being a new user in vi and not knowing how to quit.

fanf2 8mo ago
`info foo | less` is a better info reader than `info foo`

advisedwang 8mo ago

I use the online versions, e.g. https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_node/index.html https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_node/index.htm.... In this form they are pretty good documentation (although that is usually due to being comprehensive and adequately written, nothing really to do with info beyond supporting adequate structure).

mook 8mo ago

I use it in particular for bash, mostly because it has better expositions for parameter expansions. To the point that I know searching for "%%" in particular will get me to the correct section. For everything else… I think it's also necessary for GNU find expressions?