10 August 2014

Why Documentation Sucks

The essay, at Ask Slashdot speaks specifically to documentation for open source software, but I would argue that it could be applied almost anywhere:
Back when Sourceforge wasn't a sh%$-heap of garbage in every possible way I did a lot of documentation for various programs. I'm not a programmer at all, but I can use the damn things and tell others how to do so as well. The biggest problems I had were ALWAYS at the hands of the developer. They'd have these posts desperately looking for documentation writers then treat us like total f%$#ing garbage when we had to ask questions. I can't f%$#ing tell you how many times I was told to read the f%$#ing source, despite me being very up-front about my lack of coding ability. "If you can't figure out how to use the program then how can you write documentation?"

MOTHERf%$#ER, IT DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT. F%$# you in your goddamn asshole you f%$#ing arrogant f%$#ing pricks.

I stopped bothering when I stopped using Linux, which is a story in itself. The fact of the matter is the majority of programmers are assholes that have no business operating in normal society. Lock them in the f%$#ing closet and let them read the f%$#ing source until they jizz all over their crusty beards while fantasizing about Stallman's brown pucker. Maybe THEN the people that make documentation will give enough of a sh%$ to try to do so again.
BTW, that is a comment, not the main post, but I think that he "gets" it.

When the programming community, whether open or closed source, holds documentation writers in abject contempt, the loser is the user.

H/T E-Cop at the Stellar Parthenon BBS.

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