Re: prettify-symbols-mode to handle "\alpha-\beta" ...

[Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>]

>> I don't know what hack you're referring to.
> Because I saw a few different implementations of prettify 
> in various files and packages all trying to do the same 
> kind of thing. 

It's still a bit vague.

>> > Whilst texinfo.el takes care of texinfo commands, it completely
>> > disregards the use of tex constructs and the focus on displaying
>> > mathematical expressions within texinfo.
>> `texinfo.el` deserves some extra love, yes.
>> I don't think anyone has contributed to it in the last several years :-(
> Óscar Fuentes, I think wrote that if I insist on changing texinfo-mode
> itself would require me to to give a very solid reason for the change
> to be accepted.
> As you recognise that it deserves additional work, my reason should be
> solid enough.   

Changing the buffer's syntax table just for `prettify-symbols-mode`
would likely encounter resistance (since it's likely to introduce
regression in other parts of the code), but if it comes with
corresponding updates elsewhere to accommodate that change (and those
changes don't make the code worse), then it might be acceptable.

Of course, as I pointed out, it's not necessary to change the buffer's
syntax table just for the immediate needs of \alpha and \beta in
`prettify-symbols-mode`.  But in order to accommodate more TeX-style
code it might indeed be a good idea (or not: I can't say without
spending more time investigating the issue).


        Stefan