On Sun, Nov 18, 2012 at 11:19 PM, Thomas J. Hruska <shineli...@shininglightpro.com> wrote: > On 11/13/2012 11:34 AM, Sanford Staab wrote: >> >> I have been struggling with openssl for a few months now writing batch >> scripts on windows trying to make a .net web client with a client >> certificate work with 2-way ssl against an apache web server. >> >> Do you guys just want to continue to answer questions on this alias and >> not FIX the docs somewhat over time? I could go into a litany of how much >> information is just missing from the docs with INCOMPLETE everywhere. (see >> this link for one of the 900k+ hits on a google search of >> “openssl+docs+suck” for how much hell you guys are putting people through >> trying to figure out this tool) >> >> openssl is used all over the world by tons of people (so I feel dumb >> having problems here – but I know from Google I am not alone.) but it is >> just unbelievable to me that the docs remain so terse and useless for so >> many years. >> >> I have sent email to this alias previously asking how I can help with >> this. It seems to me there should be an openssl docs forum where content >> from this eventually finds its way into the online docs themselves. >> >> A tool is only as good as people are able to use it. > > > The OpenSSL dev team consists of fairly old-school *NIX folks. It is a > low-level library and certificate generation and manipulation tool that has > gained significant notoriety for its reliability, stability, and security. > > The primary documentation is manpages. This is an outdated method of > documenting software and, as I've found, the primary source of many > complaints. In this regard, it is time to move on. I can't remember the > last time I had to fire up 'man'. I'm much more apt to just run a Google > search. > > [SNIP] > > It is approaching six months since the last OpenSSL update. We're probably > due for a new set of source releases any time now. So now is the ideal time > to talk it up about getting "better documentation" on the dev team's > schedule while they begin the planning stages of the next release. If you > succeed at this, you'll be my hero of the month because I've been wanting > this for ages. You might want to approach the devs though with a little > more respect/tact. Saying the documentation "sucks" is a great way to get > ignored. Their time is valuable. You can lead them to water, but you can;t make them drink: http://rt.openssl.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=2697&user=guest&pass=guest.
Jeff ______________________________________________________________________ OpenSSL Project http://www.openssl.org User Support Mailing List openssl-users@openssl.org Automated List Manager majord...@openssl.org
