: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
