Editing 1343: Manuals
Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
The edit can be undone.
Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision | Your text | ||
Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | The | + | {{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page.}} |
− | + | The title text refers to sudoers, a config file for the unix command sudo. sudo allows users to run a program with elevated permissions, as referenced in [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/149 this famous comic]. | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | The | + | The sudoers file specifies which users have sudo access, and where they are allowed to run programs as sudo. The syntax of the file is very complex, and uses the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_Backus%E2%80%93Naur_Form Extended Backus–Naur Form] (or EBNF). The [https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man5/sudoers.5.html sudoers man page], or manual page is very long, clocking in at 1,393 lines. In contrast, the [https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man5/manpages.5.html manpages man page], which describes the format of man pages, clocks in at only 183 lines. |
− | + | The sudoers man page starts off with an explanation of EBNF's grammar, which they reference throughout the rest of the man page in describing the syntax of the sudoers file. This would be a very good example of a manual that starts with a section on "How to Read This Manual". | |
− | |||
− | |||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete transcript}} | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
+ | :[There is a line with four bold dots on it] | ||
+ | :Above dot 1: A left-pointing arrow: "Solve problems" | ||
+ | :Below dot 1: "Tools that don't need a manual" | ||
+ | :Above dot 2 is a vertical dashed line. | ||
+ | :Below dot 2: "Tools that need a manual" | ||
+ | :Above dot 3: A right-pointing arrow: "Create problems" | ||
+ | :Below dot 3: "Tools that need a manual but don't have one" | ||
+ | :Below dot 4: "Tools whose manual starts with "How to read this manual" | ||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
− | |||
− |