.help gripes Mar86 system
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NAME
gripes -- send gripes or suggestions to the system
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USAGE
gripes subject
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PARAMETERS
.ls subject
The subject of the gripe; any string, usually the name of package or task
to which the gripe refers.
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.ls verbose = yes
Print instructions on how to enter text whenever \fIgripes\fR is run.
.le
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DESCRIPTION
The \fBgripes\fR task is used to post complaints, suggestions, or any other
formal or informal comments regarding the IRAF system.  Each gripe is
appended to the system gripesfile "hlib$gripesfile", a public file which
can be read by anyone by simply typing "page hlib$gripesfile" within IRAF.
Use \fBtail\fR instead of \fBpage\fR to read only the most recent gripes.
A copy of each gripe is also sent immediately to one or members of the IRAF
group via electronic mail, to insure that the gripe gets read promptly (this
feature is not available on all host systems).

Gripe text is read from the standard input.  A line containing only a period
terminates the gripe, as does the end of file character (e.g., <ctrl/z>).
If the line containing only "~e" is entered a text editor will be called up
to edit the text of the gripe.

Users are encouraged to use the gripe facility at will.  Be assured that
someone will at least read the gripe, although there is no guarantee that
any action will be taken.  In many cases there will be no response from the
system, but nonetheless the gripe will be seen and it may well influence
the direction in which the system evolves.  Do not avoid posting gripes for 
fear that you do not understand something about the system; if enough users
find some aspect of the system or a program confusing then that is more
than sufficient reason for a gripe.
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EXAMPLES

1.  The user has discovered some nasty features of the \fIimdelete\fR task
and enters the following gripe.  Note the use of the "." to terminate
the text.

.nf
	cl> gripe
	Subject: image deletion
	Enter text of gripe.  Type <eof> or '.' to quit:

	IMDEL * will delete non image files as well as images!
	It should be possible to delete images with the normal
	DELETE command.
	.
	cl>
.fi
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BUGS
There is currently no provision for communicating gripes from a remote site
back to the site that wrote the software, unless some person manually mails
a gripe (or the accumulated gripesfile).
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SEE ALSO
news
.endhelp