Re: even more(1) tells you how big the file is on the first screen

[Dan Jacobson <jidanni@dman.ddts.net>]

>>>>> "RMS" == Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> writes:

RMS>     You know, I think it's bad that no matter if we are looking
RMS>     a giant file, or a little file, the mode line has that "Top"
RMS>     item, instead of some indication of percent.

RMS> When the window start is at the top of the buffer,
RMS> the percentage of the buffer above the top is always 0.
RMS> I don't think "0%" is clearer than "Top".

Well, here, a face saving solution: you know those little dots
etc. that now appear in the very left margin on wrapped lines, and
after the bottom of the file, when one has indicate-empty-lines=t?

Well, it turns out that if you add a special mark for the beginning of
the file in the very left margin, then one does not anymore need to
rely on "Top" in the modeline to tell us we are on top.

Therefore, if the user enables that, then he should also have the
choice of having the modeline keep on indicating "traditional emacs
style percents" or "alternative more(1) style percents".

Anyway, how can we not convey how big the file is on the initial
screen when even the wimpy more(1) command has for what, 25 years?
(and less -M)

>>>>> "D" == David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org> writes:

D> for compile buffers and their ilk, ... They don't have to track a
D> moving target.

Ok, but for the general case of static files, the Swiss Army Knife of
editors looks like Swiss cheese when compared to more(1).

P.S., indicate-empty-lines's docstring should mention
default-indicate-empty-lines.
-- 
http://jidanni.org/ Taiwan(04)25854780