bug#62862: 26.3; Minor bug in (emacs) Shift Selection

bug#62862: 26.3; Minor bug in (emacs) Shift Selection

[Drew Adams]

"shift-selection" isn't a noun or a programming name.  It's a noun
phrase, and should be written as "shift selection".  In particular,
index entry "shift-selection" should also be replaced by "shift
selection".  It might be good to also add a glossary entry for "shift selection".

In GNU Emacs 26.3 (build 1, x86_64-w64-mingw32)
 of 2019-08-29
Repository revision: 96dd0196c28bc36779584e47fffcca433c9309cd
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 10.0.19045
Configured using:
 `configure --without-dbus --host=x86_64-w64-mingw32
 --without-compress-install 'CFLAGS=-O2 -static -g3''

bug#62862: 26.3; Minor bug in (emacs) Shift Selection

[Stefan Kangas]

severity 62862 wishlist
thanks

Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> writes:

> "shift-selection" isn't a noun or a programming name.  It's a noun
> phrase, and should be written as "shift selection".  In particular,
> index entry "shift-selection" should also be replaced by "shift
> selection".  It might be good to also add a glossary entry for "shift selection".

I think you're probably right here, but we have many 114 occurrences of
"shift-selection" in our tree.  I think it doesn't make sense to fix one
without fixing the others, and then you'd need to be careful because
some of them might refer to the symbol `shift-select'.

So ultimately, I'm not sure it's worth spending time on.  I guess we
could accept a patch.

Eli, what do you think?

bug#62862: 26.3; Minor bug in (emacs) Shift Selection

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Cc: 62862@debbugs.gnu.org
> From: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas@gmail.com>
> Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2023 13:49:24 -0700
> 
> severity 62862 wishlist
> thanks
> 
> Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> writes:
> 
> > "shift-selection" isn't a noun or a programming name.  It's a noun
> > phrase, and should be written as "shift selection".  In particular,
> > index entry "shift-selection" should also be replaced by "shift
> > selection".  It might be good to also add a glossary entry for "shift selection".
> 
> I think you're probably right here, but we have many 114 occurrences of
> "shift-selection" in our tree.  I think it doesn't make sense to fix one
> without fixing the others, and then you'd need to be careful because
> some of them might refer to the symbol `shift-select'.
> 
> So ultimately, I'm not sure it's worth spending time on.  I guess we
> could accept a patch.
> 
> Eli, what do you think?

English is not my first language, so the intricacies of the grammar
frequently elude me, but: how is this different from byte-compilation,
native-compilation, and other similar terminology that we use all over
the place?

In any case, I agree that this bug report is splitting hair.

bug#62862: 26.3; Minor bug in (emacs) Shift Selection

[Stefan Kangas]

tags 62862 wontfix
close 62862
thanks

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

> English is not my first language, so the intricacies of the grammar
> frequently elude me,

Same here.

> but: how is this different from byte-compilation, native-compilation,
> and other similar terminology that we use all over the place?

Maybe Drew can answer this as a general point of interest, but...

> In any case, I agree that this bug report is splitting hair.

...since we seem to agree, I'm closing this bug report.

bug#62862: 26.3; Minor bug in (emacs) Shift Selection

[Drew Adams]

> > but: how is this different from byte-compilation, native-compilation,
> > and other similar terminology that we use all over the place?
> 
> Maybe Drew can answer this as a general point of interest, but...
> 
> > In any case, I agree that this bug report is splitting hair.
> 
> ...since we seem to agree, I'm closing this bug report.

The general rule applies also to byte-compilation etc.
But it's a general rule.  What matters in the end is
usage.  If a particular writing of a composite word
becomes most common then that's it.  It's not unusual
to see an evolution from xxx yyy to xxx-yyy to xxxyyy.

The general rule is that when used as a noun it's a
noun phrase, and is written as separate words.  When
it's used as an adjective before a noun it's written
with a hyphen.  So:

"This happens during byte compilation."
"Byte-compilation optimization happens on Tuesday."

It's fine to decide whatever style you like.  It's
generally good to then be consistent in using it, of
course.

The reason for the rule is for readability: ease of
parsing when used as an adjective.  Nothing more.

In any case, I'd still suggest a glossary entry for
shift selection (or shift-selection, if that's your
decision).

bug#62862: 26.3; Minor bug in (emacs) Shift Selection

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com>
> CC: "62862@debbugs.gnu.org" <62862@debbugs.gnu.org>
> Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2023 14:26:17 +0000
> 
> In any case, I'd still suggest a glossary entry for
> shift selection (or shift-selection, if that's your
> decision).

We basically already have one, see "Primary Selection" there.  And we
also have an index entry "shift-select".  So I think we are good in
that department: it is easy for the reader to find this stuff if all
they know is the term.

bug#62862: 26.3; Minor bug in (emacs) Shift Selection

[Drew Adams]

> > In any case, I'd still suggest a glossary entry for
> > shift selection (or shift-selection, if that's your
> > decision).
> 
> We basically already have one, see "Primary Selection" there.  And we
> also have an index entry "shift-select".  So I think we are good in
> that department: it is easy for the reader to find this stuff if all
> they know is the term.

Sounds good enough.  Thx.