Re: [emacs-tangents] was - Exiting from mapc

[Jean Louis]

* Joel Reicher <joel.reicher@gmail.com> [2025-01-11 16:43]:
> Jean Louis <bugs@gnu.support> writes:
> 
> [...]
> 
> > The Emacs Lisp manual is meant for everyone, but if it could solve all
> > the issues people have with Emacs, then there wouldn't be a need for the
> > help email list where people ask for assistance.
> > 
> > The Emacs Lisp manual is written for everyone, but its writing style is
> > more suitable for advanced programmers.
> > 
> > The Emacs Lisp Intro manual, on the other hand, is intended for
> > beginners. However, it does not cover every topic in detail.
> > 
> > Teaching as an art means breaking down complex knowledge into smaller,
> > easier-to-understand parts. This makes it simpler for the student to
> > learn and grasp the concepts.
> > 
> > Regardless of what you or I believe, there's usually a lot of
> > information available, either in manuals or online, where most questions
> > have already been answered. If I tell someone asking a question that the
> > answer is already available, it might make them feel like I'm ignoring
> > their question, which isn't the intention. I'm on the mailing list to
> > help and engage with people, not to make them feel dismissed.
> 
> I anticipated you would say something like this, and I would request you be
> less sure of yourself.
> 
> There is a very large difference between saying the answer is already
> available, and pointing out where the answer is to be found.
> 
> Engagement is a two way street: the contributors to the manual have
> attempted to reduce the need for repetition on the mailing list and other
> forums, and this deserves respect.
> 
> Regards,
> 
>        - Joel

I am an Emacs user, and I have no doubts about my appreciation for
manual authors. That is quite different subject.

I have got the point you are trying to convey: 

- "Read the manual—or else I’ll manually read it to you!" -- irony.

Though learning is not that easy.

Knowledge has to be broken down in parts easy to understand.  

You have problems understanding my viewpoint; for some reason, you
dismiss the notion that people may have different levels of learning.

In a similar way to that event where you couldn't understand my point,
users often have problems understanding whatever we write, whether in
manuals, emails, or verbally, regardless of the method. I hope you get
it.

It requires the teaching party to understand the level of
understanding of the student, and then to break it down in an
accessible way that the student may grasp it.

If it were that easy that each student could learn and understand only
through books, we would not need any teachers or professors to talk or
interact with people; we would only need plain books and pointers to
them.

-- 
Jean Louis