[Coco] DriveWire is just a hobby (Was: DW4 on MAc & Linux)

[Al Hartman]

> In a fairy tale world, sure.  Reality is that every question I've answered
> here lately is also already answered in the documentation.  Apparently the
> time Cloud9 and I spent writing it was not well spent.

Well... I'd reply by saying that the documentation is all over the place.

Some in a link on the Cloud9 Page, some on the page itself, and some on the 
Drivewire 4 page, and the rest in your heads.

For me, I'd like it all to be in one, complete document that I could have 
printed out and sat next to my computer with.

It's hard to juggle a laptop, and a Coco 3 with the DW server using the same 
screen.



>> I would not have had to ask a single question if the Documentation had
>> contained a listing of the files in the DRIVEWIRE.ZIP file, and a
>> description of what each file is/does.
>
> I believe this information is available on Cloud 9s page.

Nope, not all of it. As I said above, it's scattered all over the place.

>> Someone tell me what all the files are in the Drivewire.zip file, and
>> I'll make up a FILES.LST or README.TXT and add it to the file, and
>> re-upload it. Though, anyone who sends me an e-mail with that info has
>> already done 99% of the work.


> The information on cloud 9s page would allow you to create such an index 
> if
> you still feel it would be helpful.

Nope, not there. Only 6 of the 21 files are identified by name. The rest is 
up to the
end-ser to figure out on their own.

A list of the files and what they are for is not just helpful, but 
absolutely
necessary to the un-knowledgeable new user.

>> The Drivewire 4 WIKI should have all the info the Cloud9 page has.

Tough call.  I did add a section that encourages users to visit the cloud9
page and explains what can be found there.  However, the drivewire 4
project does not produce ROMs or wavs or any of the stuff found on cloud9s
site, and the information there was written by c9.  If they are OK with us
copying it then we could, but it seems better to leave this where it is to
me.

> ...but asking me to do even more seems inappropriate and a bit
> rude.  Beggars, choosers, and that sort of thing.  Don't make my hobby
> unfun.  Its not nice.

It's my hobby too... And, it's VERY "unfun" to be unable to get something 
working
because there's insufficient documentation.

You can't extoll the virtues of Drivewire, and then just toss new people 
into the
deep-end to fend for themselves.

I've been talking about Drivewire all over, but I can't recommend it to new 
users until
'm up to speed enough to support them. The resources aren't here for people 
to figure
it out on their own.

I've been using computers since 1979. I'm not stupid. I'm a Novell CNE. I've 
set up
networks under Novell, Lantastic, LifeNet, Windows, OS/2, Appletalk, MacOS X 
Server, etc...

I've setup Laplink V to communicate and transfer files. I've used Interlnk 
and Intersvr on MS-DOS 6.

That was all easier than this, because the documentation was complete.

I'll help make the documentation better, but I need the information that 
needs to be documented first.

It's the chicken and egg thing. I'm not Aaron, and I'm not Mark Marlette. I 
don't have all the
intimate knowledge that you two, and others have in their heads.

These messages are a result of my frustration.

I will help make this easier for new users. But, I need to know what you all 
know to do it.

I'm your polar opposite. I don't enjoy writing code, but I love writing user 
manuals. I'm really
good at it, as well as designing user interfaces.

That, and tech support were my main jobs at Zebra Systems (as well as making 
our ads).

I'm not really set up with a work area for my Coco yet.

I'm disabled with bad knees and three ruptured vertebrae, so I spend most of 
my day in bed.
I'm typing this on a Dell laptop while lying in bed.

For me to sit up for long periods of time is excruciatingly painful. So, I 
don't have a
good desk area setup. Because, I rarely work that way anymore.

I'm willing to setup such a space because I'd like to use my Cocos, my 
TRS-80 Model I/III/4D,
my Atari-ST, and other classic systems I have here.

I want to help others. I think Drivewire is fantastic!

Did you know that the XT-IDE Universal BIOS implements something similar for 
PC systems?
I'm working on building an XT-IDE card for my 5160 XT and doing the same 
thing with it.

I'm frustrated that so much is available with Drivewire, and most of it is 
out of reach to me
because I don't know what all the files are for, and have never learned 
OS9/NitrOS9.

Do you understand yet?

I *HATE* being a clueless, newbie user. I can usually get up to speed very 
quickly. I made
my living doing that until my accident.

But, without complete documentation... I can't. And that means I'm 
constantly hitting roadblocks
and speed bumps, when I want to go full-speed ahead and learn all this neat 
stuff.

-[ Al ]-

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