From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Eli Zaretskii Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: Terminology in multi-tty primitives Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 20:16:59 +0200 Message-ID: Reply-To: Eli Zaretskii NNTP-Posting-Host: lo.gmane.org X-Trace: ger.gmane.org 1230401832 31826 80.91.229.12 (27 Dec 2008 18:17:12 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 18:17:12 +0000 (UTC) To: emacs-devel@gnu.org Original-X-From: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sat Dec 27 19:18:19 2008 Return-path: Envelope-to: ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([199.232.76.165]) by lo.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.50) id 1LGdju-00085e-53 for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Sat, 27 Dec 2008 19:18:18 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1]:43871 helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1LGdig-0007o2-N6 for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:17:02 -0500 Original-Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1LGdic-0007nn-Gp for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:16:58 -0500 Original-Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1LGdib-0007nG-Dh for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:16:58 -0500 Original-Received: from [199.232.76.173] (port=36768 helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1LGdib-0007nC-BK for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:16:57 -0500 Original-Received: from mtaout4.012.net.il ([84.95.2.10]:47369) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1LGdia-000259-Vs for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:16:57 -0500 Original-Received: from conversion-daemon.i_mtaout4.012.net.il by i_mtaout4.012.net.il (HyperSendmail v2004.12) id <0KCJ00000S6FKU00@i_mtaout4.012.net.il> for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sat, 27 Dec 2008 20:19:30 +0200 (IST) Original-Received: from HOME-C4E4A596F7 ([77.126.252.83]) by i_mtaout4.012.net.il (HyperSendmail v2004.12) with ESMTPA id <0KCJ008CIS8HG890@i_mtaout4.012.net.il> for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sat, 27 Dec 2008 20:19:30 +0200 (IST) X-012-Sender: halo1@inter.net.il X-detected-operating-system: by monty-python.gnu.org: Solaris 9.1 X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: "Emacs development discussions." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Original-Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:107313 Archived-At: The terminology used by the multi-tty primitives is in its current state very irregular, to the degree that IMO it hampers understanding and promotes confusion. Examples: . Sometimes we use "tty", as in `suspend-tty' and `make-frame-on-tty', and sometimes "terminal", as in `delete-terminal'. . `terminal-name' returns the name of the _terminal_device_, such as "/dev/tty", while a terminal object itself does not really have a name. . Doc strings of several functions use the term "terminal id", but the functions accept a _terminal_object_, not an ID. Since a terminal has an integer ID associated with it (cf. `get-device-terminal's return value), a user could easily be confused to think that we mean that integer identifier. Are we OK with these inconsistencies? If it's just me, I'm willing to leave this alone and just document the status quo. Otherwise, this is our last chance to fix the terminology before it is documented and frozen forever.