bug#23787: [PATCH] * lisp/bindings.el: create binding for ‘cycle-spacing’

bug#23787: [PATCH] * lisp/bindings.el: create binding for ‘cycle-spacing’

[Michal Nazarewicz]

‘cycle-spacing’ behaves like ‘just-one-space’ when invoked once so
binding it to M-SPC should not be (very) destructive to users.

When this change has been propesed back in 2014¹, the main concern
was that back then the function behaved a bit differently from the
old one in certain situations.  This has since been changed by a
[687e0e1: “Make ‘cycle-spacing’ behave more like ‘just-one-space’
if colled once.”] commit.

¹ https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2014-01/msg02183.html
---
 etc/NEWS         | 6 ++++++
 lisp/bindings.el | 2 +-
 2 files changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

 Unless there are objections, I’ll submit this in a week.  I’ve CC’d
 everyone who was involved in the original thread.

diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index d8583cf..1041239 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -187,6 +187,12 @@ questions, with a handy way to display help texts.
 'undo', undo the last replacement; bound to 'u'.
 'undo-all', undo all replacements; bound to 'U'.
 
+** M-SPC is now bound to 'cycle-spacing'.
+When called once, 'cycle-spacing' behaves the same way
+'just-one-space' does so this change should not disturb any old
+habits.  When pressed multiple times it manipulate whitespace around
+point in a smart way giving user more editing powers.
+
 \f
 * Changes in Specialized Modes and Packages in Emacs 25.2
 
diff --git a/lisp/bindings.el b/lisp/bindings.el
index c13f4b1..cf9aaf3 100644
--- a/lisp/bindings.el
+++ b/lisp/bindings.el
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ esc-map
 (define-key esc-map "\\" 'delete-horizontal-space)
 (define-key esc-map "m" 'back-to-indentation)
 (define-key ctl-x-map "\C-o" 'delete-blank-lines)
-(define-key esc-map " " 'just-one-space)
+(define-key esc-map " " 'cycle-spacing)
 (define-key esc-map "z" 'zap-to-char)
 (define-key esc-map "=" 'count-words-region)
 (define-key ctl-x-map "=" 'what-cursor-position)
-- 
2.8.0.rc3.226.g39d4020

bug#23787: [PATCH] * lisp/bindings.el: create binding for ‘cycle-spacing’

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Michal Nazarewicz <mina86@mina86.com>
> Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>,
> 	Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>,
> 	Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>,
> 	David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>,
> 	Tassilo Horn <tsdh@gnu.org>,
> 	Teemu Likonen <tlikonen@iki.fi>,
> 	Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de>,
> 	Johan Bockgård <bojohan@gnu.org>
> Date: Fri, 17 Jun 2016 22:12:16 +0200
> 
> ‘cycle-spacing’ behaves like ‘just-one-space’ when invoked once so
> binding it to M-SPC should not be (very) destructive to users.
> 
> When this change has been propesed back in 2014¹, the main concern
> was that back then the function behaved a bit differently from the
> old one in certain situations.  This has since been changed by a
> [687e0e1: “Make ‘cycle-spacing’ behave more like ‘just-one-space’
> if colled once.”] commit.

That's not the only concern that was brought up back then.  It was
suggested to poll users.

bug#23787: [PATCH] * lisp/bindings.el: create binding for ‘cycle-spacing’

[Michal Nazarewicz]

>> ‘cycle-spacing’ behaves like ‘just-one-space’ when invoked once so
>> binding it to M-SPC should not be (very) destructive to users.
>> 
>> When this change has been propesed back in 2014¹, the main concern
>> was that back then the function behaved a bit differently from the
>> old one in certain situations.  This has since been changed by a
>> [687e0e1: “Make ‘cycle-spacing’ behave more like ‘just-one-space’
>> if colled once.”] commit.

On Fri, Jun 17 2016, Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> That's not the only concern that was brought up back then.  It was
> suggested to poll users.

I’m not aware of a way to poll users.  If there is one established, let
me know.

Best I can do is Google a little and find people binding M-SPC to
‘cycle-spacing’:

* http://pragmaticemacs.com/emacs/cycle-spacing/
* https://github.com/purcell/emacs.d/blob/master/lisp/init-whitespace.el
* https://github.com/rnkn/.emacs.d/blob/master/lisp/init-keys.el
* https://twitter.com/sachac/status/542156450047352835

Further down search result pages, there are people who don’t care much
for or are not convinced about the command but for obvious reasons
finding someone who would oppose changing the binding is rather tricky.

-- 
Best regards
ミハウ “𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓪86” ナザレヴイツ
«If at first you don’t succeed, give up skydiving»

bug#23787: [PATCH] * lisp/bindings.el: create binding for ‘cycle-spacing’

[Glenn Morris]

Michal Nazarewicz wrote:

> I'm not aware of a way to poll users.  If there is one established, let
> me know.

For the traditional method see eg
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2002-06/msg00031.html

People are supposed to say _why_ they vote as they do.

Please include an option along the lines of "polling users on matters
like this isn't productive" (I am genuinely interested in the % of
people who would prefer we just get on with things).

Have fun fighting for your one-line change...

bug#23787: [PATCH] * lisp/bindings.el: create binding for ‘cycle-spacing’

[David Kastrup]

Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org> writes:

> Michal Nazarewicz wrote:
>
>> I'm not aware of a way to poll users.  If there is one established, let
>> me know.
>
> For the traditional method see eg
> http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2002-06/msg00031.html
>
> People are supposed to say _why_ they vote as they do.
>
> Please include an option along the lines of "polling users on matters
> like this isn't productive" (I am genuinely interested in the % of
> people who would prefer we just get on with things).

Change first, complain later?  Happens often enough and the ensuing
complaints are rarely supportive of the approach.

> Have fun fighting for your one-line change...

Most meaningful polls are for one-line changes, since polls make sense
only when there are incompatible viable options, and Emacs can usually
be made to support either at the user's choice.  Then all that remains
is the choice of a meaningful default.

Which is typically selected from the provided options with a single
setting, more often than not effected by a single line.

-- 
David Kastrup

bug#23787: [PATCH] * lisp/bindings.el: create binding for ‘cycle-spacing’

[Michal Nazarewicz]

> Michal Nazarewicz wrote:
>> I'm not aware of a way to poll users.  If there is one established, let
>> me know.

On Fri, Jun 17 2016, Glenn Morris wrote:
> For the traditional method see eg
> http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2002-06/msg00031.html

If that’s a requirement for this patch I think I’ll pass.  It appears
way too complex and inconclusive.

-- 
Best regards
ミハウ “𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓪86” ナザレヴイツ
«If at first you don’t succeed, give up skydiving»

bug#23787: [PATCH] * lisp/bindings.el: create binding for ‘cycle-spacing’

[Michal Nazarewicz]

On Fri, Jun 17 2016, Michal Nazarewicz wrote:
>  Unless there are objections, I’ll submit this in a week.  I’ve CC’d
>  everyone who was involved in the original thread.

Since there indeed were objections (which themselves had objections
raised, but still), I’m dropping this.

-- 
Best regards
ミハウ “𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓪86” ナザレヴイツ
«If at first you don’t succeed, give up skydiving»