:D On Thu, Dec 14, 2017 at 10:37 PM, Don Guinn <[email protected]> wrote:
> How many hours did I spend reading the Dictionary while sitting on the > toilet? > > On Thu, Dec 14, 2017 at 4:27 PM, Jose Mario Quintana < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > :D > > > > I probably understood half of the entry descriptions I read originally > > because I have a very short attention span, I moved on and jumped > > frequently to the examples which helped me a lot in conjunction with some > > experimentation with the interpreter, which is ultimately the one that > > matters (to me) because is the one that produces results. > > > > > > On Thu, Dec 14, 2017 at 3:35 AM, Erling Hellenäs < > [email protected] > > > > > wrote: > > > > > For me manuals have always been the first resort. When you read it you > > > know more than anyone else about the language, because noone else read > it > > > :) The only exception is the J manual, which I find totally unreadable. > > > /Erling > > > > > > > > > > > > Den 2017-12-13 kl. 23:46, skrev Jose Mario Quintana: > > > > > >> I am surprised how many people have not read the reference manual - > > >>> not just in the J community but among technical people in general. > > >>> > > >>> I really don't know what to make of this. > > >>> > > >> This, to me, is akin to wondering why many people, particularly young > > >> children, can communicate orally fairly well in a language even when > > they > > >> have not studied its grammar. > > >> > > >> On the one hand, I write J tacitly the same way I speak, almost always > > >> without consciously thinking about grammar rules. On the other hand, > I > > >> learned J, a long time ago, by reading the Dictionary (which is not a > > >> recommended way to learn it) and simultaneously experimenting with the > > >> interpreter (which is definitely recommended). > > >> > > >> I wish I had the time to read the Dictionary again in its entirety. > > Yet, > > >> I > > >> still remember fondly the answer of a brilliant boss of mine when I > > >> suggested we should look at one particular reference manual: "Are you > > >> kidding? Manuals are the last resort!" > > >> > > >> :) > > >> > > >> > > >> On Wed, Dec 13, 2017 at 8:39 AM, Raul Miller <[email protected]> > > >> wrote: > > >> > > >> On Wed, Dec 13, 2017 at 3:46 AM, Erling Hellenäs > > >>> <[email protected]> wrote: > > >>> > > >>>> I doubt you can find reasonably accurate descriptions of this > > >>>> > > >>> functionality > > >>> > > >>>> (these four helper programs) anywhere else. > > >>>> > > >>> This suggests to me that you have not read > > >>> > > >>> http://www.jsoftware.com/help/dictionary/dictb.htm > > >>> nor > > >>> http://www.jsoftware.com/help/dictionary/dicta.htm > > >>> > > >>> I am surprised how many people have not read the reference manual - > > >>> not just in the J community but among technical people in general. > > >>> > > >>> I really don't know what to make of this. > > >>> > > >>> -- > > >>> Raul > > >>> ------------------------------------------------------------ > ---------- > > >>> For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/ > forums.htm > > >>> > > >>> ------------------------------------------------------------ > ---------- > > >> For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/ > forums.htm > > >> > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
