Linux pinfo

I have never liked Linux "info". The reason is simple enough: I don't like Emacs, and "info" uses an emacs style interface. Pinfo displays the same "info" files, but is more lynx like; up and down arrows move you from clickable link to clickable link, right arrow invokes a link, left arrow returns you to the previous page.

You can have this on Mac OS X, too. If you have Darwin Ports installed (and if you don't, go to http://darwinports.opendarwin.org/ and get it), just do "sudo port install pinfo"

Pinfo is colorized by default, which makes it easy to see where the clickable links are, and because you are always "on" something clickable if there is anything at all, you don't get those annoying Emac's beeps that info emits when you miss your mark.

Like info, pinfo will display a man page if that's all it can find. If you WANT to see the man page specifically, you can invoke "pinfo -m". When it is forced to use a man page, pinfo tells you so on stderr, info does not.

Unlike info, pinfo does not display anything if it has nothing. I've been forever irritated by info coming up with its default page when it has nothing to tell me.

Of course info is more powerful than pinfo. That's a given, but if you aren't an emacs fan, and don't use it constantly, you won't remember how to tap all that power. As info pages often have much more detailed information than man pages, you risk missing a lot by not using info. Pinfo is a less painful way to get that information.

Buy Take Control of Easy Backups in Leopard

Buy Take Control of Fonts in Leopard

Buy Take Control of Screen Sharing in Leopard

Buy Take Control of Permissions in Leopard

Jump to Comments

Many of the products and books I review are things I purchased for my own use. Some were given to me specifically for the purpose of reviewing them. I resell or can earn commissions from the sale of some of these items. Links within these pages may be affiliate links that pay me for referring you to them. That's mostly insignificant amounts of money; whenever it is not I have made my relationship plain. I also may own stock in companies mentioned here. If you have any question, please do feel free to contact me.

Specific links that take you to pages that allow you to purchase the item I reviewed are very likely to pay me a commission. Many of the books I review were given to me by the publishers specifically for the purpose of writing a review. These gifts and referral fees do not affect my opinions; I often give bad reviews anyway.

We use Google third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.