Bug#269787: manpage improvements ?
Siward de Groot
Siward de Groot <siward@wanadoo.nl>, 269787@bugs.debian.org
Fri, 3 Sep 2004 15:40:58 +0200
Package: balsa
Version: 2.0.17-2
Severity: minor
Title : manpage improvements ?
balsa::help::about :
The Balsa email client is part of the GNOME desktop =20
environment.
* i am not using gnome desktop, but i am using balsa,
so maybe word 'suite' should be in here somewhere ?
If you need to report bugs, please do so at: =20
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/
* not use debian's bts ?
balsa::help::contents :
* clicking it does nothing, statusbar says nothing about it,
pressing F1 gives same result
----------------------------------------------------------------------
man balsa :
SYNOPSIS :
* this is not a synopsis (see dict synopsis).
although word 'synopsis' is used in many manpages,
it is a bit too much to expect of newbie users to be able to
use a syntax-description as a synopsis.
maybe s/synopsis/syntax/i ?
* format is not easy to read,
in my local form, it currently looks like :
balsa \
[ --help ] \
[ --version ] \
[ -c | --checkmail ] \
[ (-m | --compose=3D)(<user>@<host>.<tld>|<url>) ] \
[ (-a | --attach=3D)<filename> ] \
[ (-o | --open-mailbox=3D)<mailbox>[:<mailbox>]... ] \
[ -u | --open-unread-mailbox ] \
[ -d | --debug-pop ]
maybe you like this format too ?
DESCRIPTION
Balsa is an e-mail reader.
* it is also a writer.
(if 'e-mail reader' is a generic term for a mua,
then please disregard this remark)
This client is part of GNOME desktop environment.
* same as in helptext
* inexperienced newbies might not understand short word 'client' here.
is it really necessary or otherwise desirable ?
For help on using Balsa,
see program documentation in help menu.
* not available, as noted above
* in my local copy, i have added packagedescription from
http://packages.debian.org/testing/gnome/balsa
OPTIONS
-m --compose=3DUSER@HOST.TLD
When invoked with this option, balsa
open a new message with specified address in To: field.
Parameter can be specified also in URL format,
it makes it possible to use balsa as mailto protocol handler
by setting mailto protocol command to balsa -m "%s"
in URL handlers section of GNOME control center.
* what is tld ?
* url form of command is not shown in syntaxdescription
-o --open-mailbox=3DMAILBOX
Makes Balsa open specified mailbox(es) at startup.
Multiple mailboxes are delimited by semicolons.
* possibility of multiple arguments is not shown in syntaxdescription
SUGGESTIONS AND BUG REPORTS
Any bugs found should be reported to Balsa Developer mailing list
* (again) not use bts ?
Before reporting bugs,
please check if bug is mentioned in FAQ's or mailing list archive.
* not check bugs in debian's bts? not use reportbug?
See section on Other Info for locations of these.
* where can i find that section ?
AUTHORS
See AUTHORS file included with Balsa,
probably at /usr/share/doc/balsa-2.0.17/AUTHORS
* actually at /usr/share/doc/balsa/AUTHORS
COPYRIGHT
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute
this software and its documentation
for any purpose and without fee
is hereby granted,
* 'without fee' restriction looks technically nonfree to me,
as it seems to forbid redistribution-for-a-fee ;
maybe ask upstream to be clearer about it ?