[OS X TeX] Lost in Mac space

[George Ghio]

On 14/12/2008, at 1:54 AM, Alain Schremmer wrote:

>
> On Dec 13, 2008, at 7:03 AM, George Ghio wrote:
>
>> Hi peter
>>
>> Perhaps this would be the time to bring this up. Myself and many  
>> others are not as computer literate as many here in these groups.  
>> Therefore, while the answer to a question may well be "cd to the  
>> root"  and while you may know the meaning of the answer, myself and  
>> many others are bewildered. People learn in many and varied ways.  
>> Some can learn by reading about the process while others must do  
>> the process to gain the ability.
>> [...]
>> For you, in your experience, the terminal may be the  benevolent  
>> angel of mac harmony, but, for some of us, it is the gateway to the  
>> devils lair. An example may help. Suppose that your favorite  
>> leather jacket was torn. You go to a group on line and ask how to  
>> repair it and the answer was "You need a pony, a stitching wheel,  
>> an awl and two saddler's needles" and you are expected to deduce  
>> the skill of saddle stitching.
>>
>> Please, I need to do it to learn it. How do you "cd to the root"  
>> and will it allow you to get package files in the correct places?
>
> All true. BUT:
>
> No one on this list has any obligation to any one on this list.  
> Those of us, certainly like myself, and, presumably, yourself, who  
> are terminally terminal-allergic, are like hungry people allowed at  
> the table of people a lot richer than themselves. Yes, as  
> unpalatable as it may appear to you, we are depending on charitable  
> people like Dyballa who are giving immensely more to the like of us  
> that we are ever likely to give back.
>
> You might wonder why I am getting into this. One reason, very  
> selfish, is that I miss some of the most knowledgeable and more  
> helpful people who unsubscribed from the list. Here are a few:  
> Robertson, Gerhardt, Voisin. While they may have had their own  
> reasons …
>
> So, what I do, is:
>
> — being very careful about what I am doing to my installation (do I  
> really need this upgrade, do I really need it right now? Etc).
> — read a lot of what comes down the pike and save it against the  
> hard day which is sure to come
> — when push comes to shove, I shove. In the present case, I would  
> have merely replied "What's cd to the root?" and. ten to one, he  
> would have explained it. Now, if I were in his shoes, I would  
> hesitate.
>
> Regards
> --schremmer

Yes you are right, no one on this list has any obligation to anyone  
else on this list and thus, no need to answer at all. Sort of defeats  
the purpose of having the group though. There are hundreds of groups  
on the net that seem to be nothing but arenas for self-aggrandizement.  
This is not the case with TeX on Mac.

No it is not unpalatable depending on charitable people like Dyballa.  
It is wonderful that so many people take the time to help.

I am qualified as a workplace trainer and assessor, among other  
things, so understand how people learn. To learn something I "need to  
do it, hands on".

Part of what I posted comes from the learning needs of people. Not all  
learn the same way.

And Peter, well, I have learnt a lot from his posts and look forward  
to more.

My example stands. It is not a chastisement, just a reminder that we  
all need to remember that others may not speak the same language and  
what we perceive as crystal clear may, if fact, be less than clear for  
others.

Pony - tool used to hold leather work while sewing, a type of vice
Stitching wheel - tool for marking the stitch length on leather
Awl - tool for making holes on the stitching marks left by the  
stitching wheel
Saddler needles - needles for sewing leather. Different from  
seamstress type needles in that where the thread goes through the eye  
is shaped so as not to bind as the needle is pulled through work
Saddle stitching - the art of sewing with both hands where the thread  
has a needle on both ends. Produces a stitch that will not unravel.

George
>
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