Re: How to make Emacs popular again.

[Georges Ko <gko@gko.net>]

Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> writes:

> Can you suggest a way to make that easier for others in the future?
>
>   > I didn't even distinguish correctly between Emacs and Emacs Lisp
>   > manuals, 
>
> Can you suggest a way to clarify that?

Regarding the Emacs Lisp manual, something that would be helpful is to
list the functions, user options, commands, etc. of each chapter at the
top or in its own section, so that one doesn't need to go to that
specific chapter just to get the forgotten name of a function or one can
quickly see all the symbols in one page for a topic.

In the Common Lisp HyperSpec, each chapter has a dictionary chapter at
the end, listing all the functions, variables, etc. For example, if we
look at Strings in http://www.lispworks.com/documentation/HyperSpec/Body/16_.htm,
we can see:

  16. Strings
  16.1 String Concepts
  16.2 The Strings Dictionary

with the page "The Strings Dictionary" listing related elements:

     System Class STRING
     Type BASE-STRING
     Type SIMPLE-STRING
     Type SIMPLE-BASE-STRING
     Function SIMPLE-STRING-P
     Accessor CHAR, SCHAR
     Function STRING
     Function STRING-UPCASE, STRING-DOWNCASE, STRING-CAPITALIZE, NSTRING-UPCASE, NSTRING-DOWNCASE, NSTRING-CAPITALIZE
     Function STRING-TRIM, STRING-LEFT-TRIM, STRING-RIGHT-TRIM
     Function STRING=, STRING/=, STRING<, STRING>, STRING<=, STRING>=, STRING-EQUAL, STRING-NOT-EQUAL, STRING-LESSP, STRING-GREATERP, STRING-NOT-GREATERP, STRING-NOT-LESSP
     Function STRINGP
     Function MAKE-STRING

In the Emacs Lisp manual, instead of:

   4 Strings and Characters
   ************************
   
   A string in Emacs Lisp is an array that contains an ordered sequence of
   characters.  Strings are used as names of symbols, buffers, and files;
   to send messages to users; to hold text being copied between buffers;
   and for many other purposes.  Because strings are so important, Emacs
   Lisp has many functions expressly for manipulating them.  Emacs Lisp
   programs use strings more often than individual characters.
   
      *Note Strings of Events::, for special considerations for strings of
      keyboard character events.
      
      * Menu:
      
      * Basics: String Basics.      Basic properties of strings and characters.
      * Predicates for Strings::    Testing whether an object is a string or char.
      ...

it could be:

        4 Strings and Characters
        ************************
        
        A string in Emacs Lisp is an array that contains an ordered sequence of
        ...
        programs use strings more often than individual characters.
     
   -->  [List of symbols]
     
           *Note Strings of Events::, for special considerations for strings of
           keyboard character events.
           
        * Menu:
           
        * Basics: String Basics.      Basic properties of strings and characters.
        * Predicates for Strings::    Testing whether an object is a string or char.
        ...

or

        4 Strings and Characters
        ************************
        
        A string in Emacs Lisp is an array that contains an ordered sequence of
        ...
        programs use strings more often than individual characters.
     
           *Note Strings of Events::, for special considerations for strings of
           keyboard character events.
           
        * Menu:
      
   -->  * Strings and Characters Symbols.   Symbols of strings and charactgers
        * Basics: String Basics.      Basic properties of strings and characters.
        * Predicates for Strings::    Testing whether an object is a string or char.
        ...

Georges
-- 
 Georges Ko                     gko@gko.net                      2020-10-08