Re: [PATCH v4 08/10] intro.3: wfix

["G. Branden Robinson" <g.branden.robinson@gmail.com>]

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Hi Alex,

At 2023-01-07T20:47:20+0100, Alejandro Colomar wrote:
> See a few comments below (as you asked in another email).
> > > +The Linux
> > > +.I man-pages
> 
> The Linux man-pages is a singular noun that denominates the project.
> Using it as a plural noun that refers to the pages contained in it
> sounds weird.

In English this is a slippery area.  In U.S. English nouns referring to
collections tend to be singularized, whereas in Commonwealth English
they tend to the plural, but exceptions are seen in both dialects[1] and
the meaning is usually clear.

> I find the new wording more confusing than the original.

I'll recast, then.

> > > +organize section 3 into subsections
> > >   that reflect the complex structure of the standard C library
> > > -and its many implementations:
> > > +and its many implementations.
> > > +.IR libc 's
> > > +difficult history frequently makes it a poor example to follow
> > > +in design,
> > > +implementation,
> > > +and presentation.
> > >   .IP \(bu 3
> > >   3const
> > >   .IP \(bu
> > > @@ -87,11 +93,6 @@ and its many implementations:
> > >   .IP \(bu
> > >   3type
> > >   .PP
> 
> The list of subsections seems more connected to "organize section 3
> into subsections", rather than with the comment about libc's
> organization being crap.  I think that is fine after reading the list,
> stating that what you just read is crap, but necessary crap due to
> libc's history.

It read more poorly to me that way.  My presentation was grounded on my
recollection that we agreed that these new subsections of yours would
not be necessary if the standard C library were not (1) huge and (2)
disorganized.

I'll take another crack at it, supplying a bit more motivation but
trying not to recapitulate our discussion, which doesn't demand that
degree of preservation.  :P

Regards,
Branden

[1] https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=877

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