Markdown Discuss - Oct 2011 - start with the end-user -- the big secret

to nobody in particular, and all of you markdown in general!

***

i fully understand why it "seems" straightforward to you.

but you're doing it ass-backward.

if you're trying to develop a parser, you're doing it backward.

you need to start with the end-user.

figure out how you're gonna explain it to the average person.

then work your way back from there.

i've told you "the big secret" before.   i'll tell you again:
>    the big secret -- split the text-file on blank lines
each of the "chunks" in your model must be delimited with
blank lines; that's something easy everyone can understand.

if your model must change to accommodate that, change it.

then step through the "chunks" and analyze as necessary.

you will find that it's simple.   and easy to explain to users.
they'll have a solid mental model.   everything will be clear.
you'll wonder why you ever thought this was difficult, and
shake your head at your clumsy-ass reg-ex in retrospect.

it's like solving a maze -- if you start at the exit-point,
it's really easy to work your way back to the beginning.

start at the end.   start at the end-user.   you're welcome.

-bowerbird
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Hello,
I understand that this is a markdown discussion list and honestly I do like
some of the points that you bring up occasionally.

But I feel that you are using the list too much as a platform to express you
views in a way that isn't very productive.

Would you please consider moving some of this to a personal blog or at least
phrase your argument differently?

"you're doing it ass-backwards" isn't the best way to start a
discussion and
since the list doesn't change much you've already said this before.

Thank you.

On Thu, Oct 20, 2011 at 3:15 PM, <Bowerbird at aol.com> wrote:
> to nobody in particular, and all of you markdown in general!
>
> ***
>
> i fully understand why it "seems" straightforward to you.
>
> but you're doing it ass-backward.
>
> if you're trying to develop a parser, you're doing it backward.
>
> you need to start with the end-user.
>
> figure out how you're gonna explain it to the average person.
>
> then work your way back from there.
>
> i've told you "the big secret" before.  i'll tell you
again:
>
> >   the big secret -- split the text-file on blank lines
>
> each of the "chunks" in your model must be delimited with
> blank lines; that's something easy everyone can understand.
>
> if your model must change to accommodate that, change it.
>
> then step through the "chunks" and analyze as necessary.
>
> you will find that it's simple.  and easy to explain to users.
> they'll have a solid mental model.  everything will be clear.
> you'll wonder why you ever thought this was difficult, and
> shake your head at your clumsy-ass reg-ex in retrospect.
>
> it's like solving a maze -- if you start at the exit-point,
> it's really easy to work your way back to the beginning.
>
> start at the end.  start at the end-user.  you're welcome.
>
> -bowerbird
>
> _______________________________________________
> Markdown-Discuss mailing list
> Markdown-Discuss at six.pairlist.net
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/markdown-discuss
>
>
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> Would you please consider moving some of this to a personal blog or at
least phrase your argument differently?

+1 !


--
M?r
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