Re: Adding a "quick-help" menu

[Gregor Zattler <telegraph@gmx.net>]

Hi Philip, emacs developers,
* Philip Kaludercic <philipk@posteo.net> [2022-09-16; 17:22 GMT]:
> Yes, but just like there is a difference between auto-completion and
> tab-completion, there is a difference to be considered here.

for me the main difference to all other help facilities is,
that there is zero cognitive burden: It only pops up when I
hit a prefix key and then don't know what to do.

It specifically shows help to this prefix key, I do not have
to move the mouse, I do not have to look for a symbol to
click or a menu entry which might be related.

I do not have to know how to bury or kill it, it does not
litter my buffer list with jet another buried buffer, it
does not permanently change my window configuration.

I think these are great features especially for newbies.

> Again, I don't think there is anything in Emacs by default that relies
> on non-input the way which-key does.  One reason I dislike this is
> because I've seen how some people use `which-key-mode' in person, just
> waiting for the menu to (fragile) pop up, to skim through the columns to
> find what they are looking for.  By comparison, I think that C-h and
> isearch/occur/etc. is more idiomatic.

But much more involved to use and they leave traces as
which-key does not.

> That being said, my proposal is much more modest, and has more to do
> with Nano's default help bar at the bottom of the screen.

My praise of which-key is in no way directed against your
proposal of a screen full of essential functions.


Ciao; Gregor
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