Um, documentation???

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Sorry, but I'm one of those pesky users who's not a Unix guru. Would it be too 
much to ask for 
step-by-step instructions for using MacFUSE and some of the popular file 
systems? 

I installed the core MacFUSE package but don't know what to do next. 

Oh, and your wiki gives me a "server error" when I try to post to it. That's 
why I came here. 

Original issue reported on code.google.com by groble...@gmail.com on 5 Sep 2007 at 7:10

[GoogleCodeExporter]

> Would it be too much to ask for step-by-step instructions for using
> MacFUSE and some of the popular file systems?

Since you put the question that way, well yes, it would be too much to ask--at 
this point.

The reason being: MacFUSE Core is, and has always been, a 1-person project. 
It's not even a full-time project. 
In fact, I often have to steal personal time to keep improving this software. 
Therefore, some things (such as 
step-by-step instructions) have to take a back seat.

You don't need to open formal issues to ask questions or request documentation. 
Formal issues (especially 
those that aren't actionable bug reports) mean I have to steal yet more time to 
close them. The appropriate 
place is the macfuse-devel forum. In fact, just today there was this thread:

http://groups.google.com/group/macfuse-devel/browse_thread/thread/44f227a2e30c36
21

Original comment by si...@gmail.com on 5 Sep 2007 at 8:27

• Changed state: Invalid

[GoogleCodeExporter]

groblewis, hi. 

From the thread mentioned above above, and the refererences therein, you'll 
gather that documentation is no easy task. 

The ASCII art at 
<http://code.google.com/p/macfusion/wiki/Explanations> highlights, for example, 
the origins of SSHFS -- beyond MacFUSE. 

For FAQ regarding SSHFS there are answers at 
<http://fuse.sourceforge.net/sshfs.html> but consider, too 
<http://code.google.com/p/macfuse/>: 

> MacFUSE has a completely different kernel-level implementation from Linux FUSE

-- so, a sum of knowledge that's relevant to a file system for FUSE for Linux 
is _not_ necessarily _wholly_ applicable to the same file 
system for MacFUSE. 

--

FWIW I can recommend MacFusion 
<http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/08/mgorbach/MacFusionWeb/> as a fine GUI 
for popular SSHFS (SFTP), CurlFtpFS (FTP) and 
EncFS.

Re: help and documentation in general, I'll add another comment to 
<http://groups.google.com/group/macfuse-devel/browse_thread/thread/44f227a2e30c3
621>. 

Regards

Graham
(MacFusion Project member)

Original comment by grahampe...@gmail.com on 5 Sep 2007 at 10:19

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Amit, most users will not understand or appreciate the advances you've made, but
those of us who do are grateful.  

FUSE is a revolutionary technology, and to have it on Mac is a Godsend.  Thank 
you, sir.

Original comment by i...@quantum-sci.com on 6 Sep 2007 at 12:54

[GoogleCodeExporter]

As the initiator of this thread, let me say that I wasn't trying to bust 
anyone's chops. But it seems like every 
time I try to dip my toe into something Unix-related, I hit an impenetrable 
wall, behind which sit the high 
priests, who dispense information in Zen-like riddles that usually create more 
questions than they answer. 
(The comment just before this one displays the attitude I'm talking about 
perfectly.) 

And I'm not exactly a newbie: I've been heavily involved with PCs since the 
Apple II days and written a fair 
amount of code myself; I just never happened to dive into Unix.

One might take a cue from consumer-level magazines like MacWorld, which don't 
go deeply into Unix at all, 
but often provide a "recipe" of Terminal commands to accomplish something that 
can't be done via the GUI. 

I'm a pretty good writer and would in fact be willing to take a whack at 
contributing some concise user-level 
documentation of this type, if there was someone here who could do a bit of 
hand-holding. 

Original comment by groble...@gmail.com on 7 Sep 2007 at 2:34

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I'll be more than happy to hand-hold but 

* there are limits to my technical knowledge

* I'm most familiar with MacFUSE from the MacFusion GUI viewpoint

-- so it should probably be very much a two-way or multi-way task. 

Original comment by grahampe...@gmail.com on 7 Sep 2007 at 4:38

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Cool. How about I create a new Google Doc and throw it open to contributors? 
Anyone interested drop me a 
note. 

Original comment by groble...@gmail.com on 7 Sep 2007 at 9:49

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I'm on the document now. Thanks!

Incidentally this area may not the best place to discuss/announce, as:

1) closed issues are normally hidden from viewers, so it's very unlikely that 
the communities will become aware of 
progress here; only two people (groblewis and I, presumably) have starred the 
issue

2) whilst I'm sure that Amit will wish to be aware of major advances in 
help/documentation, I'm not sure that he'll 
want notifications (which probably occur for _all_ MacFUSE issues) ) _every_ 
time a comment is added here.

Thanks again
Graham

Original comment by grahampe...@gmail.com on 8 Sep 2007 at 6:51

[GoogleCodeExporter]

groblewis: I don't think you were busting anybody's chops. It is reasonable to 
expect more and better 
documentation. I personally wish there were documentation that would help 
people understand what this 
technology *is*, to begin with.

I only gave you my candid answer as to why *I* haven't written more copious 
documentation for MacFUSE myself.

Original comment by si...@gmail.com on 8 Sep 2007 at 10:12