The challenge for Cocoa's on-line documentation

FROM : Klaus Backert
DATE : Sun May 18 01:06:26 2008

Johnny Lundy wrote:

> I never had any problem with a language's documentation since 1970 
> with the IBM 360 Reference Manual. That is, until I came across 
> Apple's documentation of Cocoa. I have never been so frustrated in 
> my life.
>
> - Everything is defined in terms of something else.
> - Interface Builder User Guide ignores the dozens of checkboxes and 
> popups that appear in the Bindings panes and instead rambles on for 
> pages about rarely-used features.
> - "Examples" always say "Your code here" when My Code Here is what 
> I wanted to see.
>
>
> The usual pattern for a User Guide & Reference Manual is for the 
> User Guide to have chapters corresponding to the areas of the 
> product, and the Reference Manual having a page or so listing all 
> the details of each element. The Apple docs have neither.
>
> Like this:
>
> - tag
> Returns the tag.
> See also : setTag
>
> Great. Now if only I knew what a tag was....


I search in the documentation window of Xcode and – after 5 to 10 
seconds only – find the explanation.

I have followed these threads, and I have a question to you – without 
intending any insult: Why didn't *you* do this search? (Or did you? 
But then ...) There should be a reason. If you tell the reason here, 
all these experienced and ... ahem ... well ... yes ;-) ... gentle 
people should be able to help you out of *this* – I think: basic – 
problem.

Back to lurking
Klaus