RE: bind commands that change buffer contents to `undefined' when read-only?

["Davis Herring" <herring@lanl.gov>]

> 2. It doesn't really help users see that such keys are, in effect,
> available for binding in such read-only contexts. That was a main
> motivation behind my proposal.

Exactly how much help does an semi-knowledgeable user (who knows enough to
want to bind a key) need beyond the error?

"Hmm... dired... I'd like a key to convert DOS to Unix line endings.  How
about M-u for "Make Unix"?  That sounds good."

  M-u
 Buffer is read-only: #<buffer contrib>

 "Huh?"

  C-h c M-u
 M-u is bound to upcase-word

 "Oh, that's a nice command.  But it doesn't work...?"

  M-u
 Buffer is read-only: #<buffer contrib>

 "Yup, it's taken, but it doesn't work here.  A shame, too.  I could have
used it!"

I don't see the reaction to C-h c proceeding like that, but rather
 "Aha.  Good to know, but I can obviously use it here, since it doesn't
work anyway."

Davis

PS - Never mind that there's no command to which to bind a key that does
what this hypothetical user wants.  They found the defun scrawled on a
blackboard in a sewer or something.

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