Re: [GNU ELPA] Denote version 1.0.0

Re: [GNU ELPA] Denote version 1.0.0

[Richard Stallman]

[[[ To any NSA and FBI agents reading my email: please consider    ]]]
[[[ whether defending the US Constitution against all enemies,     ]]]
[[[ foreign or domestic, requires you to follow Snowden's example. ]]]

  > >> Version 1.0.0 of package Denote has just been released in GNU ELPA.
  > >> You can now find it in M-x package-list RET.
  > >>
  > >> Denote describes itself as:
  > >>   Simple notes with an efficient file-naming scheme

The name "Denote" is an example of a class of clever names that we can
call "half-helpful".

Why half-helpful?  Because once you know that "Denote" refers to
"taking notes", you will probably remember that.  When you see the name
"Denote", you will recall what the package is good for.

Why only half helpful?  Because if you see only the name "Denote"
without the clue, you won't have the faintest idea what the package is
good for.  This initial mystery is what makes the name amusingly
clever.

Can we come up with documentation conventions, for use when mentioning
these half-helpful names, that will systematicall give the clue about
each?

-- 
Dr Richard Stallman (https://stallman.org)
Chief GNUisance of the GNU Project (https://gnu.org)
Founder, Free Software Foundation (https://fsf.org)
Internet Hall-of-Famer (https://internethalloffame.org)

Re: [GNU ELPA] Denote version 1.0.0

[Protesilaos Stavrou]

> From: Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
> Date: Sat,  1 Oct 2022 21:09:04 -0400
>
> [[[ To any NSA and FBI agents reading my email: please consider    ]]]
> [[[ whether defending the US Constitution against all enemies,     ]]]
> [[[ foreign or domestic, requires you to follow Snowden's example. ]]]
>
>   > >> Version 1.0.0 of package Denote has just been released in GNU ELPA.
>   > >> You can now find it in M-x package-list RET.
>   > >>
>   > >> Denote describes itself as:
>   > >>   Simple notes with an efficient file-naming scheme
>
> The name "Denote" is an example of a class of clever names that we can
> call "half-helpful".
>
> Why half-helpful?  Because once you know that "Denote" refers to
> "taking notes", you will probably remember that.  When you see the name
> "Denote", you will recall what the package is good for.
>
> Why only half helpful?  Because if you see only the name "Denote"
> without the clue, you won't have the faintest idea what the package is
> good for.  This initial mystery is what makes the name amusingly
> clever.
>
> Can we come up with documentation conventions, for use when mentioning
> these half-helpful names, that will systematicall give the clue about
> each?

In principle, I am happy to conform with such conventions.  Some notes:

* The 'M-x list-packages' includes a one-line description.  Those
  usually suffice to explain what the package tries to achieve.

* Any convention of this sort should not nudge us towards favouring
  generic names like "emacs-notes", "notes-mode", "notes.el", etc.
  There are lots of packages out there that have similar functionality.
  If we all go for the generic name, we will keep clashing with each
  other.
 
* Generic names can make it more difficult for core Emacs to introduce
  new features.  For example, we recently got 'emoji.el'.  If some
  package had already taken this name, it would complicate things for
  the respective maintainers.

-- 
Protesilaos Stavrou
https://protesilaos.com

Re: [GNU ELPA] Denote version 1.0.0

[Richard Stallman]

[[[ To any NSA and FBI agents reading my email: please consider    ]]]
[[[ whether defending the US Constitution against all enemies,     ]]]
[[[ foreign or domestic, requires you to follow Snowden's example. ]]]

  > * Any convention of this sort should not nudge us towards favouring
  >   generic names like "emacs-notes", "notes-mode", "notes.el", etc.
  >   There are lots of packages out there that have similar functionality.
  >   If we all go for the generic name, we will keep clashing with each
  >   other.

I agree.  A very helpful name might consist of a general word (such as
"notes") and a more specific word to distinguish this package
from others in the same general area of activity.

-- 
Dr Richard Stallman (https://stallman.org)
Chief GNUisance of the GNU Project (https://gnu.org)
Founder, Free Software Foundation (https://fsf.org)
Internet Hall-of-Famer (https://internethalloffame.org)