I agree greatly with what Jean Louis said here. On Sat, Sep 26, 2020 at 12:30 PM Jean Louis wrote: > * James Lu [2020-09-26 16:40]: > > I am a new (2020 started) Emacs user. > > > > Sell customer support packages, so > > > 1) You can focus on gaining users giving more users computer user > > freedom and user empowerment. > > I understand what you mean. That is right and valid for any > software. And I am sure you mean it for interaction with the software. > > > 2) You can better understand the problems with Emacs' documentation > > and user interface > > Major problem there are abbreviations, words, terms, that are easily > misunderstood by users which may cause rejections. > > If I am faced with a Chinese menu and I do not speak Chinese, > obviously this will cause rejection and I will soonest possible stop > using such editor. For a Chinese person, that editor or piece of > software may become best thing they found and they may love it. > > By introducing a lot of Chinese-like terminology, let us call it > simply potential misunderstoods, users are rejecting whatever they > have in front of them. > > The remedy is already there, is it just not good enough. Good example > of remedy are tooltips. Example is what I have here on the mode line: > > -:**- > > So that is where the misunderstoods start, with -:**- so that looks > like Chinese to me, even though I know what it means as experienced > Emacs user. But from a view point of empowering a user, I have no clue > how is that empowering me. > > If I move the mouse point there to the first - I can see following > words inside of a tooltip: > > Buffer coding system (multi-byte): undecided-unix > Mouse-1: describe coding system > Mouse-3: set coding system > > So it is a tip, it should tell me some indications, but words are too > hard for new users, one could ask himself what really applies to that > definition of "buffer": > > * Overview of noun buffer > > The noun buffer has 7 senses (first 1 from tagged texts) > 1. (8) buffer -- ((chemistry) an ionic compound that resists changes in > its pH) > 2. buffer zone, buffer -- (a neutral zone between two rival powers that is > created in order to diminish the danger of conflict) > 3. fender, buffer, cowcatcher, pilot -- (an inclined metal frame at the > front of a locomotive to clear the track) > 4. buffer, buffer storage, buffer store -- ((computer science) a part of > RAM used for temporary storage of data that is waiting to be sent to a > device; used to compensate for differences in the rate of flow of data > between components of a computer system) > 5. buffer, polisher -- (a power tool used to buff surfaces) > 6. buffer, fender -- (a cushion-like device that reduces shock due to an > impact) > 7. buff, buffer -- (an implement consisting of soft material mounted on a > block; used for polishing (as in manicuring)) > > So there are plenty of ways how new user can get misunderstoods. Do > not assume that such has a ready Wordnet dictionary to do > {M-x wordnut-search} like I do. They most probably don't have it. > > A tooltip in Emacs user interface should have the option to be > "caught" or examined, that it does not disappear, so that now user can > click on words such as "buffer" and find out the definition of it, > that user can understand what means "coding" in the context of buffer > coding system, that user can understand what means "multi-byte", and > what does it mean UNIX and what does it mean "undecided-unix", as if > user does not know that, there is no reason or point to use the > Mouse-1 to describe the coding system, as it really does not describe > nothing to the user: > > > - -- undecided-unix (alias: unix) > > Why is it undecided?! It is unclear. Why is alias "unix"?! It is > unclear, why not call it unix?! Why is it alias? What is alias? > Consider my questions with !? hypothetical questions that user could > be asking. > > > No conversion on encoding, automatic conversion on decoding. > > This sentence says nothing. It is clear to developer what it means, > but is unclear to average user. > > Conversion of what?! It is not specified. > > Encoding of what?! It is no specified. > > What would mean "automatic conversion"?! > > Decoding of what?! > > > Type: undecided (do automatic conversion) > > Who is undecided?! User or computer? If it is undecided why is it > automatic?! > > > EOL type: LF > > No definition for this if I do: "!define EOL" inside of > duckduckgo.com, I get this: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/EOL > > For LF I am asking myself, is it left field or low frequency: > https://www.thefreedictionary.com/LF > > Of course I do know what Line Feed means, but average beginner will > not know it. > > And there is no recourse within Emacs to find out about it. > > Thus to conclude my example here: > > - Making Emacs friendlier will be easier with a built-in dictionary > that will describe any terminology in easy English > > - all tooltips, all words, should be describable and definable by > clicking the mouse or choosing {M-x define-word} or similar > function. Just all. I am talking about easy English description of > Menus, it is analogous to {C-h k} to describe the menu, but in easy > way, without confusing the user more and more. > > Another practical example of nonsense within Emacs, but don't take me > for a negative critic, I like Emacs now so much more because of > nonsense descriptions, but look at this: > > - I press {C-h k} and then choose Tools -> Search Files (Grep)... > > Side comment: if it runs "grep" command, I don't know why it is > capitalized, but alright. > > I wanted to find out about "Search Files..." so the menu option is > pretty clear, it helps me search files, but then description about > "Search files" does not even mention the word "search". > > It mentions other things, like I would not know why is it > so written, tools, grep, it does not help me understand what "grep" > means, I cannot find it in my Wordnet dictionary as definition, and > the the Duck is redirecting "!define grep" to Unix word, so I have no > option to understand what "grep" would mean, it is confusing me and I > am prone to reject it. > > Look what I read as description of a "Search Files (Grep...)" option > menu: > > > > runs the command grep (found in global-map), > > which is an autoloaded interactive compiled Lisp function in > > ‘grep.el’. > > > It is bound to . > > > (grep COMMAND-ARGS) > > > Probably introduced at or before Emacs version 1.4. > > > Run Grep with user-specified COMMAND-ARGS. > > The output from the command goes to the "*grep*" buffer. > > > While Grep runs asynchronously, you can use C-x ` (M-x next-error), > > or RET in the *grep* buffer, to go to the lines where Grep found > > matches. To kill the Grep job before it finishes, type C-c C-k. > > > Noninteractively, COMMAND-ARGS should specify the Grep command-line > > arguments. > > > For doing a recursive ‘grep’, see the ‘rgrep’ command. For running > > Grep in a specific directory, see ‘lgrep’. > > > This command uses a special history list for its COMMAND-ARGS, so you > > can easily repeat a grep command. > > > A prefix argument says to default the COMMAND-ARGS based on the current > > tag the cursor is over, substituting it into the last Grep command > > in the Grep command history (or into ‘grep-command’ if that history > > list is empty). > > > [back] > > For a new user, only two things make sense there: > > - The term "Search files", that is what makes sense > > - within the description of menu option "Search files" the only thing > that makes sense is [back] link > > > because people will email you support questions on them, > > Emacs should have a built in support question system, so that every > user can straight send a support question, and which would be answered > by using referenced or hyperlinked easy English, and such question > would be then automatically placed on some website, or integrated > into Emacs, so next users could then inquire answers in easier and > easier manner. > > Jean >