Re: Enhancements to options menu (was Re: Reveal mode)

[storm@cua.dk (Kim F. Storm)]

Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> writes:

>     IMO, the custom interface is overwhelming in the sense that it doesn't
>     really prioritize the options.
> 
> So, if we had a command to customize a selected list of the 50 most
> important options, using the existing Custom facility, would that
> do the job?

At least, that would be a step in the right direction....

I want a "novice" level of customization where a new emacs user can
quickly get an overview of the various features offered by emacs -
preferably just with one option per package ... and preferably 
not more complex than it can be shown in a single 24x80 window.

> 
> Another idea: it would also be possible to sort the options in any
> given Custom buffer, if we assigned them importance levels.
> The more important options could come first.

Agree.

But I think options are shown in the sequence in which they occur
in the source files.... so it is just a question of ordering them
there  (maybe adding a few :set-after properties).

> 
> Another idea: the Custom buffer could show the important options for
> any given topic, and end with a button Show Less-Important Options
> with which you could see the rest of the options for that topic.
> Perhaps we could do that whenever the number of options exceeds a
> certain threshold.

I don't think this is necessary...
If options are shown in order of decreasing importance,
I guess the user can just avoid using "page down"...

> 
> I don't entirely understand this suggestion:
> 
>         [x] Abbreviation mode    [advanced]
>         [x] Revert mode          [advanced]
> 
> What does "advanced" mean here?
> 
> 

It would enter the corresponding custiomize-group.

-- 
Kim F. Storm <storm@cua.dk> http://www.cua.dk