What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Alan Mackenzie]

Hi, Emacs!

In the Emacs manual, the <backspace> key (the one that deletes backwards)
seems sometimes to be called @key{BS}, and at other times @key{BACKSPACE}
or @key{DEL}.

The <delete> key (the one over the arrow keys and which deletes forward)
sports the name @key{DELETE}.  I think it's always written in capitals,
but I'm not sure.

The names recommended by the Texinfo manual (on page "key") are @key{BS}
for backspace and (I think) @key{DEL} for _FORWARD_ delete.

I'm not totally unconfused, and I'm surely not the only one.  Would it
perhaps be sensible to decide on standard names for these keys and
promulgate them through the Emacs, Elisp (and CC Mode :-) manuals?

My suggestion is that (i) the backspace key should always be called
@key{BS}, despite the fact that the character it generates is ASCII DEL;
(ii) the delete key gets called @key{Delete} or @key{delete}, despite the
recommendations of the Texinfo manual.  I think @key{DEL} should be
avoided altogether, since its use as a key name contradicts is use as an
ASCII character name.

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Munich, Germany)

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Richard M. Stallman]

    In the Emacs manual, the <backspace> key (the one that deletes backwards)
    seems sometimes to be called @key{BS}, and at other times @key{BACKSPACE}
    or @key{DEL}.

Those are not synonymous.  The chapter on Killing explains the difference.

We worked for a long time to get this consistent and (more or less)
clear.  Now I want to leave it alone.

    The names recommended by the Texinfo manual (on page "key") are @key{BS}
    for backspace and (I think) @key{DEL} for _FORWARD_ delete.

I will talk with the Texinfo maintainer about that.

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Stefan Monnier]

>     The names recommended by the Texinfo manual (on page "key") are @key{BS}
>     for backspace and (I think) @key{DEL} for _FORWARD_ delete.

That looks like the convention used by XEmacs IIRC,


        Stefan

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Alan Mackenzie]

Hi, Richard and Emacs!

On Tue, 20 Dec 2005, Richard M. Stallman wrote:

>    In the Emacs manual, the <backspace> key (the one that deletes backwards)
>    seems sometimes to be called @key{BS}, and at other times @key{BACKSPACE}
>    or @key{DEL}.

>Those are not synonymous.  The chapter on Killing explains the difference.

The Killing chapter leaves me confused (see below).

>We worked for a long time to get this consistent and (more or less)
>clear.  Now I want to leave it alone.

OK.  But what are the standard names for these two keys?  I think they're
@key{DEL} for the big rectangular backspace key and @key{DELETE} (or
should it be @key{Delete}?) for the little key below <insert> and to the
left of <end>.  The Killing chapter leaves this unclear.

>    The names recommended by the Texinfo manual (on page "key") are @key{BS}
>    for backspace and (I think) @key{DEL} for _FORWARD_ delete.

>I will talk with the Texinfo maintainer about that.

OK, here are the problems I have with @node Killing in the Emacs manual:

       Every keyboard has a large key, labeled <DEL>, <BACKSPACE>, <BS> or
    <DELETE>, which is a short distance above the <RET> or <ENTER> key and
    is normally used for erasing what you have typed.  Regardless of the
    actual name on the key, in Emacs it is equivalent to <DEL>--or it
    should be.

The above paragraph appears to be an old, unreworked version of the next
paragraph.

       Many keyboards (including standard PC keyboards) have a <BACKSPACE>
    key a short ways above <RET> or <ENTER>, and a <DELETE> key elsewhere.
    In that case, the <BACKSPACE> key is <DEL>, and the <DELETE> key is
    equivalent to `C-d'--or it should be.

Again, what is the meaning of "is" in the phrase "the <BACKSPACE> key is
<DEL>"?  What does "<DEL>" mean here?  I think it means "the key which
produces the ASCII DEL character (0x7F)".  Or it could be "the key which
deletes backwards", which seems in danger of making some definitions
circular.  What is the meaning of "equivalent" in "the <DELETE> key is
equivalent to `C-d'"?  It surely must mean "is bound to the same function
as `C-d'", since it produces a different key code.

Incidentally, is "a short WAYS above" intentionally so (some dialect of
English I don't know), or should it read "a short WAY above"?

Incidentally[2], there are (at least) three ways of capitalising
@key{DELETE} throughout the Emacs manual and friends:

# grep -c "@key{DELETE}" *.texi | gawk '$0 !~ ":0$"'
  gives
basic.texi:6
frames.texi:2
glossary.texi:1
killing.texi:3
mh-e.texi:1
msdog.texi:1
trouble.texi:8

# grep -c "@key{Delete}" *.texi | gawk '$0 !~ ":0$"'
  gives
cc-mode.texi:10
faq.texi:7
killing.texi:2

# grep -c "@key{delete}" *.texi | gawk '$0 !~ ":0$"'
  gives
programs.texi:1

The all-caps version, @key{DELETE} is surely correct, isn't it?

Anyhow, here's a first attempt at a patch to sort this out.  It's main
point is a @dfn{@key{DEL}} as "the usual erasure key".  I've tidied up a
few Whoopses too.


2006-01-12  Alan Mackenzie  <acm@muc.de>

        * killing.texi (Deletion): Define @key{DEL}.  Tidied up a bit and
        clarified some things.

Index: killing.texi
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/emacs/emacs/man/killing.texi,v
retrieving revision 1.46
diff -c -r1.46 killing.texi
*** killing.texi	16 Dec 2005 12:02:51 -0000	1.46
--- killing.texi	12 Jan 2006 13:03:14 -0000
***************
*** 100,145 ****
  
  @kindex DEL
  @kindex C-d
!   The most basic delete commands are @kbd{C-d} (@code{delete-char}) and
! @key{DEL} (@code{delete-backward-char}).  @kbd{C-d} deletes the
! character after point, the one the cursor is ``on top of.''  This
! doesn't move point.  @key{DEL} deletes the character before the cursor,
! and moves point back.  You can delete newlines like any other characters
! in the buffer; deleting a newline joins two lines.  Actually, @kbd{C-d}
! and @key{DEL} aren't always delete commands; when given arguments, they
! kill instead, since they can erase more than one character this way.
  
  @kindex BACKSPACE
  @kindex BS
  @kindex DELETE
-   Every keyboard has a large key, labeled @key{DEL}, @key{BACKSPACE},
- @key{BS} or @key{DELETE}, which is a short distance above the
- @key{RET} or @key{ENTER} key and is normally used for erasing what you
- have typed.  Regardless of the actual name on the key, in Emacs it is
- equivalent to @key{DEL}---or it should be.
- 
    Many keyboards (including standard PC keyboards) have a
! @key{BACKSPACE} key a short ways above @key{RET} or @key{ENTER}, and a
! @key{DELETE} key elsewhere.  In that case, the @key{BACKSPACE} key is
! @key{DEL}, and the @key{DELETE} key is equivalent to @kbd{C-d}---or it
! should be.
  
!   Why do we say ``or it should be''?  When Emacs starts up using a
  window system, it determines automatically which key or keys should be
! equivalent to @key{DEL}.  As a result, @key{BACKSPACE} and/or @key{DELETE}
! keys normally do the right things.  But in some unusual cases Emacs
! gets the wrong information from the system.  If these keys don't do
! what they ought to do, you need to tell Emacs which key to use for
  @key{DEL}.  @xref{DEL Does Not Delete}, for how to do this.
  
- @findex normal-erase-is-backspace-mode
    On most text-only terminals, Emacs cannot tell which keys the
  keyboard really has, so it follows a uniform plan which may or may not
! fit your keyboard.  The uniform plan is that the @acronym{ASCII} @key{DEL}
! character deletes, and the @acronym{ASCII} @key{BS} (backspace) character asks
! for help (it is the same as @kbd{C-h}).  If this is not right for your
! keyboard, such as if you find that the key which ought to delete backwards
! enters Help instead, see @ref{DEL Does Not Delete}.
  
  @kindex M-\
  @findex delete-horizontal-space
--- 100,142 ----
  
  @kindex DEL
  @kindex C-d
!   The most basic delete commands are @kbd{C-d} (@code{delete-char})
! and @kbd{@key{DEL}} (@code{delete-backward-char}).  @kbd{C-d} deletes
! the character after point, the one the cursor is ``on top of.''  This
! doesn't move point.  @key{DEL} deletes the character before the
! cursor, and moves point back.  You can delete newlines like any other
! characters in the buffer; deleting a newline joins two lines.
! Actually, @kbd{C-d} and @key{DEL} aren't always delete commands; when
! given arguments, they kill instead, since they can erase more than one
! character this way.
  
+ @cindex @key{DEL} key
  @kindex BACKSPACE
  @kindex BS
  @kindex DELETE
    Many keyboards (including standard PC keyboards) have a
! @key{BACKSPACE} key a short way above @key{RET} or @key{ENTER}, and a
! @key{DELETE} key elsewhere.  The @key{BACKSPACE} key, the ``usual
! erasure key'' which deletes the previous character, is called
! @dfn{@key{DEL}} throughout this manual.  The @key{DELETE} key, like
! @kbd{C-d}, deletes the following character---or it should do.
  
!   Why do we say ``or it should do''?  When Emacs starts up using a
  window system, it determines automatically which key or keys should be
! @key{DEL}.  As a result, the @key{BACKSPACE} and @key{DELETE} keys
! normally do the right things.  But in some unusual cases Emacs gets
! the wrong information from the system.  If these keys don't do what
! they ought to do, you need to tell Emacs which key to use for
  @key{DEL}.  @xref{DEL Does Not Delete}, for how to do this.
  
    On most text-only terminals, Emacs cannot tell which keys the
  keyboard really has, so it follows a uniform plan which may or may not
! fit your keyboard.  The uniform plan is that the @acronym{ASCII}
! @key{DEL} character deletes backwards, and the @acronym{ASCII}
! @key{BS} (backspace) character asks for help (it is the same as
! @kbd{C-h}).  If this is not right for your keyboard, such as if you
! find that the key which ought to delete backwards enters Help instead,
! see @ref{DEL Does Not Delete}.
  
  @kindex M-\
  @findex delete-horizontal-space

#########################################################################

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Munich, Germany)

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 13:16:59 +0000 (GMT)
> From: Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de>
> Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org
> 
> OK, here are the problems I have with @node Killing in the Emacs manual:
> 
>        Every keyboard has a large key, labeled <DEL>, <BACKSPACE>, <BS> or
>     <DELETE>, which is a short distance above the <RET> or <ENTER> key and
>     is normally used for erasing what you have typed.  Regardless of the
>     actual name on the key, in Emacs it is equivalent to <DEL>--or it
>     should be.
> 
> The above paragraph appears to be an old, unreworked version of the next
> paragraph.
> 
>        Many keyboards (including standard PC keyboards) have a <BACKSPACE>
>     key a short ways above <RET> or <ENTER>, and a <DELETE> key elsewhere.
>     In that case, the <BACKSPACE> key is <DEL>, and the <DELETE> key is
>     equivalent to `C-d'--or it should be.

I actually like the first (older) version better.  I think "a short
distance" will be better understood, in particular by non-native
English speakers, than "a short ways".  And there's no confusing
"<BACKSPACE> key is <DEL>" wording.

> What is the meaning of "equivalent" in "the <DELETE> key is
> equivalent to `C-d'"?

What it always meant--that it produces the same effect.

> Incidentally, is "a short WAYS above" intentionally so (some dialect of
> English I don't know), or should it read "a short WAY above"?

No, it's "short ways", which means nearby.  Like I said: it's not
immediately understandable.

>                                     The @key{DELETE} key, like
> ! @kbd{C-d}, deletes the following character---or it should do.

I don't think ``it should do'' is correct English here.  I think the
correct wording is ``---or it should.''

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Alan Mackenzie]

On Thu, 12 Jan 2006, Eli Zaretskii wrote:

>> Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 13:16:59 +0000 (GMT)
>> From: Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de>
>> Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org

>> OK, here are the problems I have with @node Killing in the Emacs manual:

>>        Every keyboard has a large key, labeled <DEL>, <BACKSPACE>, <BS> or
>>     <DELETE>, which is a short distance above the <RET> or <ENTER> key and
>>     is normally used for erasing what you have typed.  Regardless of the
>>     actual name on the key, in Emacs it is equivalent to <DEL>--or it
>>     should be.

>> The above paragraph appears to be an old, unreworked version of the next
>> paragraph.

>>        Many keyboards (including standard PC keyboards) have a <BACKSPACE>
>>     key a short ways above <RET> or <ENTER>, and a <DELETE> key elsewhere.
>>     In that case, the <BACKSPACE> key is <DEL>, and the <DELETE> key is
>>     equivalent to `C-d'--or it should be.

>I actually like the first (older) version better.  I think "a short
>distance" will be better understood, in particular by non-native
>English speakers, than "a short ways".  And there's no confusing
>"<BACKSPACE> key is <DEL>" wording.

>> What is the meaning of "equivalent" in "the <DELETE> key is
>> equivalent to `C-d'"?

>What it always meant--that it produces the same effect.

But there is vagueness there, though - the two keys cease to be
"equivalent" when the M- modifier is added.

>> Incidentally, is "a short WAYS above" intentionally so (some dialect of
>> English I don't know), or should it read "a short WAY above"?

>No, it's "short ways", which means nearby.  Like I said: it's not
>immediately understandable.

Agreed.  :-)

>>                                     The @key{DELETE} key, like
>> ! @kbd{C-d}, deletes the following character---or it should do.

>I don't think ``it should do'' is correct English here.  I think the
>correct wording is ``---or it should.''

"or it should do" is perfectly correct English - "do" is a sort of
"pro-verb" referring to the last used verb, much like the pronoun "it"
refers to the last used noun.  (English is my native language).  But "or
it should" is just as correct, and it's shorter (therefore better ;-).

-- 
Alan.

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 21:27:42 +0000 (GMT)
> From: Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de>
> cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org
> 
> >> What is the meaning of "equivalent" in "the <DELETE> key is
> >> equivalent to `C-d'"?
> 
> >What it always meant--that it produces the same effect.
> 
> But there is vagueness there, though - the two keys cease to be
> "equivalent" when the M- modifier is added.

The text says "in Emacs it is equivalent to <DEL>".  And as you know,
in Emacs M-<DEL> and <DEL> are two different keys.

In other words, when we speak about ``keys'' in Emacs, we don't mean
the scancodes generated by pressing the key.  We mean the character or
symbol that Emacs sees in its keyboard input queue.

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Neil Jerram]

Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de> writes:

> On Thu, 12 Jan 2006, Eli Zaretskii wrote:
>
>>> Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 13:16:59 +0000 (GMT)
>>> From: Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de>
>>> Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org
>
>>> Incidentally, is "a short WAYS above" intentionally so (some dialect of
>>> English I don't know), or should it read "a short WAY above"?
>
>>No, it's "short ways", which means nearby.  Like I said: it's not
>>immediately understandable.
>
> Agreed.  :-)

I don't agree!  "a short ways" may be considered proper in the US, but
in the UK it is definitely still US-style slang, and it may not be
understood in other English-speaking places.

Let's please change this to "a short way above", which is standard
English usage everywhere.

Regards,
        Neil

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Lennart Borgman]

> I don't agree!  "a short ways" may be considered proper in the US, but
> in the UK it is definitely still US-style slang, and it may not be
> understood in other English-speaking places.
>
> Let's please change this to "a short way above", which is standard
> English usage everywhere.
>
> Regards,
>         Neil
>   
Is this my keyboard or my English? I would expect something like "just 
above", "right above" etc.

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Neil Jerram]

Lennart Borgman <lennart.borgman.073@student.lu.se> writes:

> Is this my keyboard or my English? I would expect something like "just
> above", "right above" etc.

Both of those would be equally good, IMO.

     Neil

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Aidan Kehoe]

 Ar an triú lá déag de mí Eanair, scríobh Lennart Borgman: 

 > > I don't agree!  "a short ways" may be considered proper in the US, but
 > > in the UK it is definitely still US-style slang, and it may not be
 > > understood in other English-speaking places.
 > >
 > > Let's please change this to "a short way above", which is standard
 > > English usage everywhere.
 >
 > Is this my keyboard or my English? I would expect something like "just 
 > above", "right above" etc.

Your keyboard. Look through the layouts available with xkeycaps if you’re
curious.

-- 
I AM IN JAIL AND ALLOWED SEND ONLY ONE CABLE SINCE WAS ARRESTED WHILE
MEASURING FIFTEEN FOOT WALL OUTSIDE PALACE AND HAVE JUST FINISHED COUNTING
THIRTY EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDERED TWENTY TWO NAMES WHOS WHO IN MIDEAST.

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Neil Jerram <neil@ossau.uklinux.net>
> Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 09:09:15 +0000
> Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org
> 
> >>No, it's "short ways", which means nearby.  Like I said: it's not
> >>immediately understandable.
> >
> > Agreed.  :-)
> 
> I don't agree!  "a short ways" may be considered proper in the US, but
> in the UK it is definitely still US-style slang, and it may not be
> understood in other English-speaking places.

The Emacs manuals are written in the US English dialect.  That's why
we say "recognize", "color", etc.

But I think Alan said "agreed" to the "not immediately understandable"
part.

RE: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Drew Adams]

    > I don't agree!  "a short ways" may be considered proper in the US, but
    > in the UK it is definitely still US-style slang, and it may not be
    > understood in other English-speaking places.

    The Emacs manuals are written in the US English dialect.  That's why
    we say "recognize", "color", etc.

Whech Amurcun dialec' didja mean, Eelah?

Ah'd say thet "a ways" be 'bout the same thing as "a fur piece": "He walked
a fur piece down th' road" = "He walked a ways down th' road."

Thats'd ah'd say 'bout et. The American Heritage Dictionary, however, says
this 'bout it (http://www.bartleby.com/61/57/W0065700.html):

 ways - NOUN: Informal (used with a sing. verb) Variant of way
              (sense 1). See Usage Note at way.

 way - USAGE NOTE: Way has long been an intensifying adverb meaning
       “to a great degree,” as in way over budget. This usage is both
       acceptable and common but has an informal ring. •Way is also
       used as a general intensifier, as in way cool and way
       depressing. This locution has expanded beyond its original
       range of younger speakers, but it is still regarded as slang.
       •In American English ways is often used as an equivalent of
       way in phrases such as a long ways to go. The usage is
       acceptable but is usually considered informal.

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Richard M. Stallman]

	   Every keyboard has a large key, labeled <DEL>, <BACKSPACE>, <BS> or
	<DELETE>, which is a short distance above the <RET> or <ENTER> key and
	is normally used for erasing what you have typed.  Regardless of the
	actual name on the key, in Emacs it is equivalent to <DEL>--or it
	should be.

    The above paragraph appears to be an old, unreworked version of the next
    paragraph.

	   Many keyboards (including standard PC keyboards) have a <BACKSPACE>
	key a short ways above <RET> or <ENTER>, and a <DELETE> key elsewhere.
	In that case, the <BACKSPACE> key is <DEL>, and the <DELETE> key is
	equivalent to `C-d'--or it should be.

They are not redundant, and neither was derived from the other.
The second describes a special case of the first.  They are
both correct, and both necessary.

      What is the meaning of "equivalent" in "the <DELETE> key is
    equivalent to `C-d'"?  It surely must mean "is bound to the same function
    as `C-d'", since it produces a different key code.

That's right.  In normal Emacs usage, those two keys should be
equivalent, since they have the same standard bindings.

    The all-caps version, @key{DELETE} is surely correct, isn't it?

Yes--so the others should be fixed.  I will fix those in the Emacs
Manual proper; could you fix the rest?

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Alan Mackenzie]

Hi, Richard, Hi, Emacs!

On Tue, 20 Dec 2005, Richard M. Stallman wrote:

>    In the Emacs manual, the <backspace> key (the one that deletes backwards)
>    seems sometimes to be called @key{BS}, and at other times @key{BACKSPACE}
>    or @key{DEL}.

>Those are not synonymous.  The chapter on Killing explains the difference.

For the third time of asking, would somebody (Richard?) please state
definitively what the canonical names, to be used in files.texi, are for
the "backspace" key (typically the large rectangular key above CR that
deletes a single character backwards) and the "delete" key (typically the
bottom leftmost key of a block of 6 keys directly to the right of CR,
that deletes a single character forwards).

I think the canonical names for these keys are, respectively, @key{DEL}
and @key{DELETE} (with exactly that capitalization), but I'm not sure.

I want to amend the CC Mode manual to use the standard names for these
two keys.

>We worked for a long time to get this consistent and (more or less)
>clear.  Now I want to leave it alone.

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Munich, Germany)

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Thien-Thi Nguyen]

Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de> writes:

> For the third time of asking, would somebody (Richard?) please state
> definitively what the canonical names, to be used in files.texi, are
> for the "backspace" key (typically the large rectangular key above CR
> that deletes a single character backwards) and the "delete" key
> (typically the bottom leftmost key of a block of 6 keys directly to
> the right of CR, that deletes a single character forwards).

the actual form of the ink pressed onto the plastic is something that
has no hope of attaining universal standardization.  this means that if
you have to say "typically", then documentation purporting to use a
"canonical name" will be incorrect for some (many) situations.  it's
more slackful for everyone involved to not sing a false canon to the
un{willing,hearing} in the first place.

(btw, data point: my keyboard does not conform to the above layout.)

thi

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Richard M. Stallman]

    For the third time of asking, would somebody (Richard?) please state
    definitively what the canonical names, to be used in files.texi, are for
    the "backspace" key (typically the large rectangular key above CR that
    deletes a single character backwards) and the "delete" key (typically the
    bottom leftmost key of a block of 6 keys directly to the right of CR,
    that deletes a single character forwards).

    I think the canonical names for these keys are, respectively, @key{DEL}
    and @key{DELETE} (with exactly that capitalization), but I'm not sure.

BACKSPACE or BS is the key labeled Backspace.  DELETE refers to the
key labeled "Delete".

DEL means the ASCII character 0177.  In Emacs, either DELETE or
BACKSPACE is equivalent to DEL.

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Alan Mackenzie]

Hi, All!

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006, Richard M. Stallman wrote:

>    For the third time of asking, would somebody (Richard?) please state
>    definitively what the canonical names, to be used in files.texi, are for
>    the "backspace" key (typically the large rectangular key above CR that
>    deletes a single character backwards) and the "delete" key (typically the
>    bottom leftmost key of a block of 6 keys directly to the right of CR,
>    that deletes a single character forwards).

>    I think the canonical names for these keys are, respectively, @key{DEL}
>    and @key{DELETE} (with exactly that capitalization), but I'm not sure.

>BACKSPACE or BS is the key labeled Backspace.  DELETE refers to the
>key labeled "Delete".

>DEL means the ASCII character 0177.  In Emacs, either DELETE or
>BACKSPACE is equivalent to DEL.

Many Thanks!

So, a more prolix summary of these things:

@key{DEL} is a _logical_ key, that key which happens to generate ASCII
DEL (0x7f) when you press it.  So the sentence "Emacs binds @key{DEL} to
the command @code{delete-backward-char} by default." would be entirely
appropriate.

@key{BACKSPACE} (or @key{BS}) and @key{DELETE} are _physical_ keys,
characterised by their positions on the keyboard or the text embossed
upon them (even though these positions/embossments vary between keyboards
and cultures).  @key{BACKSPACE} and @key{DELETE} are thus the appropriate
names to use for the keys that delete in the wrong direction in "@node
DEL Does Not Delete".

The "Equivalent" above means "is configured, whether by the OS's keyboard
setup or Emacs's function-key-map or some other means, to produce the
same keycode as".

I think I've got it now!  Apologies to all fellow hackers whose patience
I've stretched in this thread.

-- 
Alan.

Re: What're the proper names for the backspace and delete keys in files.texi?

[Richard M. Stallman]

    @key{DEL} is a _logical_ key, that key which happens to generate ASCII
    DEL (0x7f) when you press it.  So the sentence "Emacs binds @key{DEL} to
    the command @code{delete-backward-char} by default." would be entirely
    appropriate.

That's true, more or less--except that under X all keys are "logical"
in this sense.

Thus, `DEL' stands for ASCII code DEL.
'DELETE' stands for the symbol DELETE.