bug#14751: 24.3.50; Global binding and a tool bar icon for browsing the web

bug#14751: 24.3.50; Global binding and a tool bar icon for browsing the web

[Jambunathan K]

Provide a global binding to browse the web.  I suggest 

        C-x w 

Consider creating an icon resembling much like popular browsers' and add
it to a prominent position say next to "mail/send" icons.

In GNU Emacs 24.3.50.4 (i686-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 2.20.1)
 of 2013-06-30 on debian-6.05
Bzr revision: 113223 eggert@cs.ucla.edu-20130629155220-q6msbmrokdthg00x
Windowing system distributor `The X.Org Foundation', version 11.0.10707000
Important settings:
  value of $LANG: en_IN
  locale-coding-system: iso-latin-1-unix
  default enable-multibyte-characters: t

Major mode: Group

bug#14751: Acknowledgement (24.3.50; Global binding and a tool bar icon for browsing the web)

[Jambunathan K]

Just realized that C-x w prefix is used by hi-lock mode.  

The C-x prefix is too dense and leaves no space for new occupants.

bug#14751: 24.3.50; Global binding and a tool bar icon for browsing the web

[Stefan Monnier]

> Provide a global binding to browse the web.  I suggest 
>         C-x w

I don't think we need such a key binding (just like I don't think we need
the `C-x m' binding, FWIW).  A good M-x <something> is better.


        Stefan

bug#14751: 24.3.50; Global binding and a tool bar icon for browsing the web

[Drew Adams]

> I don't think we need such a key binding (just like I don't think we need
> the `C-x m' binding, FWIW).  A good M-x <something> is better.

+1

It is helpful to have a key that follows a URL at point.
Other than that there is no need for a key just to open a browser at
your start (home) page.  Anyone who wants that can bind the command.

(I do suggest adding the start-browsing command to a menu, though.)

bug#14751: 24.3.50; Global binding and a tool bar icon for browsing the web

[Ted Zlatanov]

On Sun, 30 Jun 2013 16:24:11 -0700 (PDT) Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> wrote: 

>> I don't think we need such a key binding (just like I don't think we need
>> the `C-x m' binding, FWIW).  A good M-x <something> is better.

DA> +1

DA> It is helpful to have a key that follows a URL at point.
DA> Other than that there is no need for a key just to open a browser at
DA> your start (home) page.  Anyone who wants that can bind the command.

DA> (I do suggest adding the start-browsing command to a menu, though.)

I agree with Stefan and Drew.

Ted

bug#14751: 24.3.50; Global binding and a tool bar icon for browsing the web

[Juri Linkov]

> It is helpful to have a key that follows a URL at point.

`M-x ffap-bindings RET C-x C-f http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/ RET'

> (I do suggest adding the start-browsing command to a menu, though.)

=== modified file 'lisp/menu-bar.el'
--- lisp/menu-bar.el	2013-02-25 21:10:59 +0000
+++ lisp/menu-bar.el	2013-07-02 22:47:53 +0000
@@ -1490,6 +1490,8 @@ (defvar menu-bar-tools-menu
     (bindings--define-key menu [separator-net]
       menu-bar-separator)
 
+    (bindings--define-key menu [browse-web]
+      '(menu-item "Browse the Web..." eww))
     (bindings--define-key menu [directory-search]
       '(menu-item "Directory Search" eudc-tools-menu))
     (bindings--define-key menu [compose-mail]


Also since it's verified that `eww' can correctly display gnu.org pages
without problems, the link "Emacs Guided Tour" on the start page could
be opened using eww (with an additional benefit of demonstrating to
newbies that Emacs can be used to browse the Web):

=== modified file 'lisp/startup.el'
--- lisp/startup.el	2013-06-30 22:29:23 +0000
+++ lisp/startup.el	2013-07-02 22:44:38 +0000
@@ -1674,6 +1674,7 @@ (defun fancy-startup-screen (&optional c
 	(insert "\n")
 	(fancy-startup-tail concise))
       (use-local-map splash-screen-keymap)
+      (setq-local browse-url-browser-function 'eww-browse-url)
       (setq tab-width 22
 	    buffer-read-only t)
       (set-buffer-modified-p nil)
@@ -1711,6 +1712,7 @@ (defun fancy-about-screen ()
 	(goto-char (point-min))
 	(force-mode-line-update))
       (use-local-map splash-screen-keymap)
+      (setq-local browse-url-browser-function 'eww-browse-url)
       (setq tab-width 22)
       (setq buffer-read-only t)
       (goto-char (point-min))

bug#14751: 24.3.50; Global binding and a tool bar icon for browsing the web

[Jambunathan K]

OP here.  Closed.