Re: Rename `eww' to `web'

[Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org>]

Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> writes:

> One way we can make Emacs more usable is by giving commands
> natural names that make no demand on users' memory.
>
> Since `eww' has never been in a release, let's rename it `web'
> now, before users get it.

I think that it's nice that things have names that enables users to
search for help for that thing.  Searching for "web" isn't very helpful.

But the idea of having a command called `web' that would call (for
instance) eww sounds good to me.  But I think we have to keep in mind
that there are typically two distinct things that people want when they
say "Emacs, here's an URL".  The vastly most common thing to want is to
start an external web browser like Firefox.  But some people want to use
an Emacs-based browser for specific things, so I'm not sure having a
command like `web' would be of much convenience in practice.

There's also the issue of "what does the user expect to happen when they
tap a link in eww?"  I think the natural thing to happen is to open tat
link in eww -- i.e., continue to browse in the browser you're using.
But sometimes you want to browse using an external browser, even from
eww, which is why eww offers that as a separate command.

So, in short: I don't think eww should be renamed web, and I think
having a command named `web' at all won't be of much use, even as an
alias/dispatcher. 

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  bloggy blog http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no/