Re: Procedure for changing the FAQ

[Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>]

    +@enumerate
    +@item
    +The most simple operation is to just insert a tab character.  This
    +operation does not have a convenient key binding, because it is
    +subsumed by the more general operation described next.  But you can use
    +@kbd{C-q @key{TAB}} to insert a literal tab character.
    +
    +A tab character is displayed as a stretch of whitespace which extends
    +to the next display tab stop position, and the default width of a tab
    +stop is eight.  @xref{Display Custom}, for more details.
    +
    +@item
    +Emacs also supports tab stops.  You can set them at arbitrary
    +positions, and then use @kbd{M-i} to advance to the next tab stop.  The
    +default tab stop list contains positions (columns) that are a multiple
    +of eight, and so the effect of @kbd{M-i} is the same as that of
    +@kbd{C-q @key{TAB}} in the default case.
    +
    +You can set the tab stops with @kbd{M-x edit-tab-stops}.

There is too much detail about specific commands.  Those
belong later (and are already included later).  What we need here
is just the concepts, and maybe cross references.

For instance, when explaining tab stops, there is no need to talk about
the default tab stops.  That is just a detail, and this is not the
place for details.

    +The most simple operation is to just insert a tab character.  This
    +operation does not have a convenient key binding, because it is
    +subsumed by the more general operation described next.
    ...
      The
    +default tab stop list contains positions (columns) that are a multiple
    +of eight, and so the effect of @kbd{M-i} is the same as that of
    +@kbd{C-q @key{TAB}} in the default case.
    +

This is simple and convenient in practice, but your description makes
it sound like something bad.  Here's how to describe the situation and
show how it is convenient.

  The simplest kind of indentation operation is to insert a space or
  tab.  You can insert a tab by typing C-q TAB.  With the default tab
  stops, M-i also does this.

This sort of mention of M-i seems appropriate here, because it
involves less detail than the one I criticized.