[gmx-users] making maxwarn a hidden option

[ms]

On 29/12/10 21:57, chris.neale at utoronto.ca wrote:
> That sounds reasonable. I don't like hidden options except for when they
> are associated with manuscripts that have not yet been published.

As a "young" Gromacs user and an "old" free software user and developer, 
I wholeheartedly disagree with hiding or making -maxwarn more difficult 
-or whatever other option, FWIW. It would really annoy me, frankly. If 
there is something I truly dislike, it is software (and developers) that 
behave like nannies to their users.

If an option is available, it should be fully documented like everything 
else. There is nothing more infuriating than discovering that you could 
have done something you wanted to do, if only it was documented. Now, I 
reckon that warnings should be verbose and that it should be explained 
in detail what each warning means, but it's up to the user to decide 
what to do.

In short: If you respect your users, you don't treat them like children 
you hide the candies from.

Sorry for the rant and happy new year :)

-- 
Massimo Sandal, Ph.D.
http://devicerandom.org