[siward wanadoo nl: Bug#269787: manpage improvements ?]

[Andrew Lau <netsnipe users sourceforge net>]

----- Forwarded message from Siward de Groot <siward wanadoo nl> -----

Subject: Bug#269787: manpage improvements ?
Reply-To: Siward de Groot <siward wanadoo nl>, 269787 bugs debian org
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	version=2.64

Package: balsa
Version: 2.0.17-2
Severity: minor

Title  : manpage improvements ?

balsa::help::about :
	 The Balsa email client is part of the GNOME desktop  
environment.
* i am not using gnome desktop, but i am using balsa,
   so maybe word 'suite' should be in here somewhere ?

	 If you need to report bugs, please do so at:  
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/
* not use debian's bts ?

balsa::help::contents :
* clicking it does nothing, statusbar says nothing about it,
 pressing F1 gives same result

----------------------------------------------------------------------
man balsa :

SYNOPSIS :
* this is not a synopsis (see dict synopsis).
 although word 'synopsis' is used in many manpages,
 it is a bit too much to expect of newbie users to be able to
   use a syntax-description as a synopsis.
 maybe s/synopsis/syntax/i ?

* format is not easy to read,
 in my local form, it currently looks like :
	 balsa							  \
	   [       --help					] \
	   [       --version					] \
	   [  -c | --checkmail					] \
	   [ (-m | --compose=)(<user>@<host>.<tld>|<url>)	] \
	   [ (-a | --attach=)<filename>				] \
	   [ (-o | --open-mailbox=)<mailbox>[:<mailbox>]...	] \
	   [  -u | --open-unread-mailbox			] \
	   [  -d | --debug-pop					]
 maybe you like this format too ?

DESCRIPTION
	 Balsa is an e-mail reader.
* it is also a writer.
 (if 'e-mail reader' is a generic term for a mua,
  then please disregard this remark)

	 This client is part of GNOME desktop environment.
* same as in helptext
* inexperienced newbies might not understand short word 'client' here.
 is it really necessary or otherwise desirable ?

	 For help on using Balsa,
	   see program documentation in help menu.
* not available, as noted above

* in my local copy, i have added packagedescription from
   http://packages.debian.org/testing/gnome/balsa

OPTIONS
-m --compose=USER HOST TLD
	 When invoked with this option, balsa
	   open a new message with specified address in To: field.
	 Parameter can be specified also in URL format,
	   it makes it possible to use balsa as mailto protocol handler
	   by setting mailto protocol command to balsa -m "%s"
	     in URL handlers section of GNOME control center.
* what is tld ?
* url form of command is not shown in syntaxdescription

-o --open-mailbox=MAILBOX
	 Makes Balsa open specified mailbox(es) at startup.
	 Multiple mailboxes are delimited by semicolons.
* possibility of multiple arguments is not shown in syntaxdescription

SUGGESTIONS AND BUG REPORTS
Any bugs found should be reported to Balsa Developer mailing list
* (again) not use bts ?

Before reporting bugs,
  please check if bug is mentioned in FAQ's or mailing list archive.
* not check bugs in debian's bts? not use reportbug?

See section on Other Info for locations of these.
* where can i find that section ?

AUTHORS
See AUTHORS file included with Balsa,
  probably at /usr/share/doc/balsa-2.0.17/AUTHORS
* actually at /usr/share/doc/balsa/AUTHORS

COPYRIGHT
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute
  this software and its documentation
  for any purpose and without fee
  is hereby granted,
* 'without fee' restriction looks technically nonfree to me,
  as it seems to forbid redistribution-for-a-fee ;
  maybe ask upstream to be clearer about it ?




----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
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	Andrew "Netsnipe" Lau	<http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~alau/>
 Debian GNU/Linux Maintainer & UNSW Computing Students' Society President
				     -
		  "Nobody expects the Debian Inquisition!
     Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency!"
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