Re: the Linux man-pages as an educational tool

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

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Hi Collin,

At 2026-08-01T18:04:05-0700, Collin Funk wrote:
> Alejandro Colomar <alx@kernel.org> writes:
> >> I'd like to underscore this point.  As I noted in my response to
> >> Doug, the flagship book on C, as we all know, is stuck in 1988.
> >> The throne is vacant, with many pretenders, some with excellent
> >> cases for service as regent.
> >
> > In fact, the throne might currently fall in the Linux man-pages
> > project.  While not being a blood heir of the Unix standards, it has
> > become a de-facto standard.
> 
> I don't think anyone is arguing whether or not man-pages is an
> educational tool. The argument is whether it should educate based on
> current standards, or the maintainers preferences.

There are always going to be matters that a relevant standards body
hasn't resolved.  Its work would be trivial if there weren't!

I think what the Linux man-pages community is negotiating here is a pair
of related questions.

1.  Should the Linux man-pages make _any_ representations that are not
    supported by a formal standard?

2.  If so, what are the boundaries of its editorial authority?

3.  If not, hard luck for the Linux kernel, eh?

It's easy to say, "I don't like what Alex is doing with xyz(3)."  What's
harder is to articulate a reasonable-sounding, defensible principle that
should restrain him from doing so.

As Kant said:

"Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will
that it should become a universal law."

https://existentialcomics.com/comic/293

Regards,
Branden

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