Re: [drew.adams@oracle.com: Should be able to select text in splash screen]

[Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>]

Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> writes:

> From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com>
> Subject: Should be able to select text in splash screen
>
> Users should be able to select text in the splash screen displayed
> using Help > About Emacs.

Lots of graphical programs display splash screens containing text that
cannot be selected.  New users *won't* expect to be able to interact
with the text.  New users will also know that they can find out
version numbers from a menu item called "About Emacs", and indeed we
have such a menu item.  Besides, it would be extremely annoying if the
splash screen doesn't go away when you press any key.

The one change I would make to the splash screen is to add some text
saying something like "Press any key to continue".  Many graphical
programs take a long time to start up, and display splash screens
while they are starting up; a particularly confused user might think
he has to wait for the splash screen to disappear by itself before
editing can commence.

*** emacs/lisp/startup.el.~1.410.~	2006-07-24 00:18:47.000000000 -0400
--- emacs/lisp/startup.el	2006-08-22 10:54:21.000000000 -0400
***************
*** 1115,1121 ****
  (defvar fancy-splash-text
    '((:face variable-pitch
  	   "You can do basic editing with the menu bar and scroll bar \
! using the mouse.\n\n"
  	   :face (variable-pitch :weight bold)
  	   "Important Help menu items:\n"
  	   :face variable-pitch
--- 1115,1121 ----
  (defvar fancy-splash-text
    '((:face variable-pitch
  	   "You can do basic editing with the menu bar and scroll bar \
! using the mouse.\nPress any key to begin editing.\n\n"
  	   :face (variable-pitch :weight bold)
  	   "Important Help menu items:\n"
  	   :face variable-pitch
***************
*** 1151,1157 ****
  More Manuals / Ordering Manuals       Buying printed manuals from the FSF\n")
    (:face variable-pitch
  	   "You can do basic editing with the menu bar and scroll bar \
! using the mouse.\n\n"
  	   :face (variable-pitch :weight bold)
  	   "Useful File menu items:\n"
  	   :face variable-pitch "\
--- 1151,1157 ----
  More Manuals / Ordering Manuals       Buying printed manuals from the FSF\n")
    (:face variable-pitch
  	   "You can do basic editing with the menu bar and scroll bar \
! using the mouse.\nPress any key to begin editing.\n\n"
  	   :face (variable-pitch :weight bold)
  	   "Useful File menu items:\n"
  	   :face variable-pitch "\
***************
*** 1443,1448 ****
--- 1443,1449 ----
                (progn
                  (insert "\
  You can do basic editing with the menu bar and scroll bar using the mouse.
+ Press any key to begin editing.
  
  Useful File menu items:
  Exit Emacs		(or type Control-x followed by Control-c)