Menu entry for describe-package?

Menu entry for describe-package?

[Jan Moringen]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 932 bytes --]

Hi,

I think it's great to have package.el in Emacs. I suggest adding a
"Describe Package" menu item in the "Help > Describe" menu, in analogy
to the other `describe-*' functions. The attached patch adds the menu
entry.

Looking at the neighboring entries, it seems like the function should be
bound to C-h p. However, this binding is already in use (by
`finder-by-keyword').

More generally, does anyone else find it potentially confusing (at least
for new users) to have the following menu entries?

Options > Manage Emacs Packages -> `package-list-packages'

Help > Find Emacs Packages      -> `finder-by-keyword'
Help > External Packages        -> `menu-bar-help-extra-packages'

I think, the main source of potential confusion is the inconsistent use
of the term "package". Maybe the meaning of "package" in the "Help" menu
could also be conveyed by something more vague like "Find Emacs-related
software"?

Kind regards,
Jan 

[-- Attachment #2: emacs-describe-package.patch --]
[-- Type: text/x-patch, Size: 750 bytes --]

--- lisp/menu-bar.el.orig	2010-07-18 01:00:44.000000000 +0200
+++ lisp/menu-bar.el	2010-07-18 04:54:07.522794927 +0200
@@ -1404,6 +1332,9 @@
 (define-key menu-bar-describe-menu [describe-current-display-table]
   `(menu-item ,(purecopy "Describe Display Table") describe-current-display-table
 	      :help ,(purecopy "Describe the current display table")))
+(define-key menu-bar-describe-menu [describe-package]
+  `(menu-item ,(purecopy "Describe Package...") describe-package
+              :help ,(purecopy "Display information about an Emacs software package")))
 (define-key menu-bar-describe-menu [describe-face]
   `(menu-item ,(purecopy "Describe Face...") describe-face
               :help ,(purecopy "Display the properties of a face")))

Re: Menu entry for describe-package?

[Lennart Borgman]

On Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 1:22 AM, Jan Moringen
<jan.moringen@uni-bielefeld.de> wrote:
>
> More generally, does anyone else find it potentially confusing (at least
> for new users) to have the following menu entries?
>
> Options > Manage Emacs Packages -> `package-list-packages'
>
> Help > Find Emacs Packages      -> `finder-by-keyword'
> Help > External Packages        -> `menu-bar-help-extra-packages'
>
> I think, the main source of potential confusion is the inconsistent use
> of the term "package". Maybe the meaning of "package" in the "Help" menu
> could also be conveyed by something more vague like "Find Emacs-related
> software"?

I think external and internal packages should be distinguished clearly
in the menus. Why not use these words in the menu entries?

Re: Menu entry for describe-package?

[MON KEY]

> More generally, does anyone else find it potentially confusing (at
> least for new users) to have the following menu entries?
>
> Options > Manage Emacs Packages -> `package-list-packages'
> Help > Find Emacs Packages      -> `finder-by-keyword'
> Help > External Packages        -> `menu-bar-help-extra-packages'

How about:

"Help >
      Find Emacs Internal Extensions" -> `finder-by-keyword'
"Help >
      Find External Emacs Extensions" -> `menu-bar-help-extra-packages'

FWIW I _still_ find the term "package" to be ambiguous and loaded,
esp. at the menu level. It may be useful for new users if Emacs
actually says what is meant e.g. - "Find some extension for Emacs".

--
/s_P\