Re: the Linux man-pages as an educational tool

[Alejandro Colomar <alx@kernel.org>]

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Hi Joseph,

> Date: 2026-08-03 19:31:19+0000
> From: Joseph Myers <josmyers@redhat.com>
>
> On Sun, 2 Aug 2026, Alejandro Colomar wrote:
> 
> > If <string.h> was described as providing functions that exclusively
> > handle strings, then programmers that only need to handle strings would
> > naturally self-limit to functions from this header file.
> 
> A one-line change to the description of <string.h> in the C standard, from 
> "String handling" to "String and memory utilities" or similar, to make 
> clear it's *not* (and never has been) exclusively handling strings, might 
> well make sense.  That's all the change that I think makes sense in this 
> area.

Please propose it.  I'd likely vote for it; it can be a positive change.

It certainly wouldn't be a one-line change, given that you'd also have
to change things like '7.28.1  String function conventions', and quite
a few others, but yeah, I get and support your idea.

I believe adding <memory.h> can be even better than that, but at least
your proposal is in the good direction.

As I said in my last message to Sam, if the currnt man-pages change
proves to be problematic contrary to my expectations, I will revisit
this and revert the documentation change.

We can also improve the wording in the meantime if the current man-pages
text is sub-optimal.


Have a lovely day!
Alex

-- 
<https://www.alejandro-colomar.es>

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