Re: typo in frame.el

[Simon Josefsson <jas@extundo.com>]

Alex Schroeder <alex@emacswiki.org> writes:

> Hiroshi Fujishima <pooh@nature.tsukuba.ac.jp> 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.

I prefer "precisely when" instead of "if and only if".  Sometimes,
even the "precisely" can be omitted.  Less technobabbly.  Alas,
changing "iff" into "when" can make a documentation string line too
long.  Confusion regarding "iff" is a reoccurring theme, so it might
make sense to do something about it.

(Kudos to my algebra professor, who introduced me to p.w., although
only for Swedish.  But I think it works as well in English.  Any
native speaker who disagree?)