Pet Peeve #6

[punktiger]

I'm not a dummy... At least, I've been told for years I'm a rather intelligent person. However, there's one area that sometimes gets me so flaming riled up that it makes me doubt my intelligence: building Linux apps.

My biggest peeve happens when when I'm building a complex app. I'll follow the instructions carefully, make sure there's no errors along the way, insure I'm typing in various configurations properly... and the end result is I have an app that was built without any show-stopping errors and is apparently ready to go. Great! So how do I run it? Hmmm... I get "command not found" errors and the like, until I search around to find that I have to be in a specific directory, then set the one file in the hundreds there to "executable", then make sure this executable is in the path to RUN executables... THEN it works... hopefully without adding "sudo" to the start of the command.

So, when I see instructions like After seafile.sh start and seahub.sh start, you can login from a browser without telling me specifically HOW to login from a browser, that makes my blood boil. What address do I type in the browser? Is there a specific port I have to go to? So, OK, fine. Google (actually, DuckDuckGo) is my friend, so let's see if I can find general instructions on logging in.

Nope. Nothing.

Apparently, it so blindingly obvious to everyone and their twin grandmother what needs to be typed in to login, there's no mention anywhere on what to put... even in template form.

It just ticks me right off that I spend an hour or so making sure I get all the libraries and archives, building the program's myriad pieces, and dealing with errors to finally have a working application, then finding I don't even know where the key is to the unmarked door, finding no help online, or even with friends (because they've never used that program before, and don't even know where to start) is a real headache.

Can anyone suggest a good but inexpensive NAS device?

Oh yeah, this is about building a version of Seafile for Raspberry Pi. I don't know how to access it/login, or even if it's working.

Comments

[quentincoyote]

A bit of topic from your question, but I'm curious. How does you learn to program in the first place? Did you go to school for CS?

[punktiger]

*heh* If I went to school for CS, I probably would have figured it out eventually. I've worked with computers in one form or another since 1981, so you pick up a few things when you've been doing it that long. I have been trying to learn the Python programming language on my own, but my ability to remain focused on one subject over the course of days gets tested VERY quickly without some sort of supervision.

This particular app I didn't build from scratch (I wouldn't know how to do something this complex yet). Many of the "parts" are already pre-made, so you join them together to "make" a complete app. In this case, I followed these instructions to make the app. It looks confusing and intimidating if you're not used to working in a terminal window. Good instructions are essential for creating a working program.

I've built a few simple Linux apps in the past, but none this involved or complex.