GNU bug report logs - #61325
30.0.50; Jokes in GNUS manual

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From: Po Lu <luangruo <at> yahoo.com>
To: Richard Stallman <rms <at> gnu.org>
Cc: yantar92 <at> posteo.net, 61325 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#61325: 30.0.50; Jokes in GNUS manual
Date: Wed, 08 Feb 2023 12:46:12 +0800

Richard Stallman <rms <at> gnu.org> writes:

> This seems to be trying to create humor by simply referring to sex.
> I "get the joke," but it doesn't seem to be very funny.  This part

If you replace ``sex'' with, say, ``kayaking'', the meaning of the joke
stays unchanged.

The joke is that it is possible to sort completely unrelated newsgroup
into categories.

>                                              Since you don't know what a
>   > kill or a (Gnus-specific) score file is, you can disregard that
>   > paragraph.
>
> That is very unkind to the reader.  Users don't enjoy feeling puzzled
> about important parts of the subject matter.  The manual should _help_
> users understand the subject matter -- that's its purpose.
>
> I presume the Gnus manual explains what a kill file is, for readers
> who do not know.  If not, we should add that.

It explains both what kill and score files are, and why score files
should be preferred instead.

> Then this joke -- if it is worth keeping -- should have a cross reference
> to that explanation.
>
> So, IS this joke worth keeping?
>
> Although I am an American, I don't get the joke at all.  It seems to
> be more smirking than funny.
>
> Can anyone explain the intended meaning?  If that is more funny than
> the actual wording, maybe we could change the wording to be clear.
> But if we don't do that, deleting the joke could be better.

It is trying to make people stop using kill files and use score files
instead, because they are supposed to be better.

I have never used a score file.

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