Re: Unknown command line options and --help

[Mariano Suarez-Alvarez <msuarezalvarez arnet com ar>]

On Mon, 21 Apr 2003, Mike Newman wrote:

> On Mon, 2003-04-21 at 15:37, Ole Laursen wrote:
> > Mariano Suarez-Alvarez <msuarezalvarez arnet com ar> writes:
> >
> > > Is it a GNOME policy to ignore unknown command line options?
> >
> > I think most GNOME programs never really check their command line
> > options, none of the ones I've written do. So people probably forget it.
>
> Depends on the program, what it does, who calls it and from where. As
> for ignoring things which it doesn't understand, this is probably the
> right thing to do for stuff run from the GUI which might otherwise cause
> very confusing errors which the user may not be able to fix.

The problem with that attitude towards the point is that even when the user
would be able to fix the errors, he can't because no one deemed it useful to
inform him what the error was to begin with. And even if the user can't fix
the error, he can ask some one who can, and this more enlightened person
will not be in a much better position do solve anything.

Anyone who has had to deal with a Windows box not booting knows how not
being informed what the problem is feels like!

-- m

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Mariano Suarez Alvarez
Departamento de Matematica - Universidad Nacional de Rosario
Pellegrini 250 - Rosario 2000 - Argentina

    De la observacion de la irreductibilidad de las creencias ultimas
    he sacado la mayor leccion de mi vida. Aprendi a respetar las ideas
    ajenas, a detenerme ante el secreto de las conciencias, a entender
    antes de discutir, a discutir antes de condenar. Y como estoy en
    vena de confesiones, hago una mas, quizas superflua: detesto con
    toda mi alma a los fanaticos.

    Norberto Bobbio, Italia civil.

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