[fpc-pascal] Pascal Compiler - Missing Messages etc.

[Rainer Stratmann]

Am Donnerstag, 20. Juli 2006 22:41 schrieb Florian Klaempfl:
> Rainer Stratmann wrote:
> > Am Donnerstag, 20. Juli 2006 13:44 schrieb Jason P Sage:
> >> I know most of you know this stuff and it's a no brainer - but - I just
> >> wanted to say this because I see people having problems sometimes
> >> getting started and sometimes its easier to go around the ditch than to
> >> build a bridge!
> >
> > It is a reason, why fp don't come closer to the "critical mass".
>
> Which critical mass?

Pascal is an ideal, maybe the best programming language.
Do you want that more people use it?
I saw pictures about a booth whith the maintainers of fpc at a linux-fair.
It would be better if you can say to the ones who are interested that fpc is a 
language whith a userfriendly environment. I am sure in this case more people 
would use it.

> > In my view these "simple things" must have highest priority.
> >
> > In the Linux installation routine there is an install-question
> > something like "do you want to install /usr/ or /usr/local/"
>
> The default is fine?

...maybe for the linux expert...
...many people want to swith from another os, so they are not familiar with 
linux...
...when I type /usr/local then error messages come, so this irritates then and 
is a reason why not use it or why to say it is not good enough...

> > A beginner can not know what this is good for. Also there is no
> > information if the install routine on Linux must have root rights...
>
> Well, because it depends on were you install? People not installing as
> root should know how to change /usr/local to something appropriate.

Sorry I don't know this at the moment of installing, like you don't know at 
this moment how to make userfriendly installers ;)

> > So if a beginner does not get work these "simple things" he give up very
> > fast.
>
> People don't dig into such stuff will be never good programmers, so I
> see no real problem if they give up :) Programming is full of such
> challenges.

Partly I agree, but, what has a good programmer to do with internals of any 
os? That a programmer should be an intelligent person does not mean that it 
could not be an advantage if fpc run "out of the box".

It would be shining a better light on fpc then.

If the installing step is easy then many people can use their source code they 
wrote for dos for example.

Ok, there are then many challenges to do, but "hello world" runs already then 
and it is very easier to build up on "hello world" then got nothing to work.

> Tomas Hajny wrote:

> > ;-) What would you think about distribution of 
> > Win32 version with install.bat script asking you 
> > to choose whether you want to put cygwin1.dll in 
> > system32 or your new bin directory?
>
>So all you're asking for is a "If you don't know the answer, just press 
><ENTER>"? Isn't that the default already? ;)
It woul be an advantage, if there is a short description why to type what.
...at the moment the user can ask the same question if it is the default 
already...? ;)
When there is a description the user is more sure about the installation.
>
>Vinzent.
Rainer