From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: main.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: "Drew Adams" Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: RE: typo in frame.el Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2004 13:05:13 -0700 Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+emacs-devel=quimby.gnus.org@gnu.org Message-ID: References: <87fzbdx9kq.fsf@emacswiki.org> NNTP-Posting-Host: deer.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: sea.gmane.org 1081541331 8219 80.91.224.253 (9 Apr 2004 20:08:51 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@sea.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2004 20:08:51 +0000 (UTC) Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org Original-X-From: emacs-devel-bounces+emacs-devel=quimby.gnus.org@gnu.org Fri Apr 09 22:08:41 2004 Return-path: Original-Received: from quimby.gnus.org ([80.91.224.244]) by deer.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1 (Debian)) id 1BC2Ir-0005yB-00 for ; Fri, 09 Apr 2004 22:08:41 +0200 Original-Received: from monty-python.gnu.org ([199.232.76.173]) by quimby.gnus.org with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1 (Debian)) id 1BC2Ir-0001XI-00 for ; Fri, 09 Apr 2004 22:08:41 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.30) id 1BC2H2-0000Lw-9z for emacs-devel@quimby.gnus.org; Fri, 09 Apr 2004 16:06:48 -0400 Original-Received: from list by monty-python.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.30) id 1BC2GU-0000Hs-DU for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Fri, 09 Apr 2004 16:06:14 -0400 Original-Received: from mail by monty-python.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.30) id 1BC2Fw-00005R-Eg for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Fri, 09 Apr 2004 16:06:11 -0400 Original-Received: from [148.87.2.201] (helo=inet-mail1.oracle.com) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (TLSv1:DES-CBC3-SHA:168) (Exim 4.30) id 1BC2Fw-0008Sv-1H for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Fri, 09 Apr 2004 16:05:40 -0400 Original-Received: from rgmgw6.us.oracle.com (rgmgw6.us.oracle.com [138.1.191.15]) by inet-mail1.oracle.com (Switch-3.1.4/Switch-3.1.0) with ESMTP id i39K6Af7001262; Fri, 9 Apr 2004 13:06:10 -0700 (PDT) Original-Received: from rgmgw6.us.oracle.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by rgmgw6.us.oracle.com (Switch-2.1.5/Switch-2.1.0) with ESMTP id i39K5Hp21929; Fri, 9 Apr 2004 14:05:17 -0600 (MDT) Original-Received: from dradamslap (dhcp-amer-vpn-gw2-east-141-144-83-132.vpn.oracle.com [141.144.83.132]) by rgmgw6.us.oracle.com (Switch-2.1.5/Switch-2.1.0) with SMTP id i39K5Gp21901; Fri, 9 Apr 2004 14:05:16 -0600 (MDT) Original-To: "Alex Schroeder" , "Hiroshi Fujishima" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.6604 (9.0.2911.0) In-Reply-To: <87fzbdx9kq.fsf@emacswiki.org> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165 Importance: Normal X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.4 Precedence: list List-Id: "Emacs development discussions." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: emacs-devel-bounces+emacs-devel=quimby.gnus.org@gnu.org Xref: main.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:21400 X-Report-Spam: http://spam.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.devel:21400 Doc strings, at least their first lines, need to be short and clear, so "iff" is in fact helpful - but only if the convention is understood. Instead of not taking advantage of the convention, why don't we include an explanation of it in the general doc: add a line stating what "iff" means to the Emacs (or Elisp) doc? At the very worst, someone unacquainted with the meaning of "iff" will likely interpret it as "if" (and as an benign typo), so there is no harm done in using it: (the most important) half of its meaning is always conveyed. Another possibility is to use "<=>" (and "=>" for "implies"), but I suppose that assumes some familiarity with symbolic logic or math. - Drew -----Original Message----- From: emacs-devel-bounces+drew.adams=oracle.com@gnu.org [mailto:emacs-devel-bounces+drew.adams=oracle.com@gnu.org]On Behalf Of Alex Schroeder Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 11:58 AM To: Hiroshi Fujishima Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org Subject: Re: typo in frame.el Hiroshi Fujishima writes: > -With a numeric argument, turn blinking cursor mode on iff ARG is positive. > +With a numeric argument, turn blinking cursor mode on if ARG is positive. For mathematicians, "iff" is an abbreviation for "if and only if"... So it is not a typo, I suppose. I think that should avoid the use of such abbreviations in Emacs documentation, however, since not all our users come from an English/science background. Alex. -- .O. http://www.emacswiki.org/alex/ ..O Schroeder's fourth law: OOO None of your friends and coworkers share your taste in music. _______________________________________________ Emacs-devel mailing list Emacs-devel@gnu.org http://mail.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-devel