From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: main.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: "Robert J. Chassell" Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: Re: [LONG] Some thougths and a patch for the search menu-bar functions Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2002 12:24:58 +0000 (UTC) Sender: emacs-devel-admin@gnu.org Message-ID: References: <20020910084203.80798.qmail@web11508.mail.yahoo.com> Reply-To: bob@rattlesnake.com NNTP-Posting-Host: localhost.gmane.org X-Trace: main.gmane.org 1031660883 13386 127.0.0.1 (10 Sep 2002 12:28:03 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@main.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2002 12:28:03 +0000 (UTC) Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org Return-path: Original-Received: from quimby.gnus.org ([80.91.224.244]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1 (Debian)) id 17ok7b-0003TS-00 for ; Tue, 10 Sep 2002 14:27:59 +0200 Original-Received: from monty-python.gnu.org ([199.232.76.173]) by quimby.gnus.org with esmtp (Exim 3.12 #1 (Debian)) id 17oki0-0001y2-00 for ; Tue, 10 Sep 2002 15:05:36 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.10) id 17ok7f-0005bp-00; Tue, 10 Sep 2002 08:28:03 -0400 Original-Received: from list by monty-python.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.10) id 17ok4s-0005Hm-00 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Tue, 10 Sep 2002 08:25:10 -0400 Original-Received: from mail by monty-python.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.10) id 17ok4l-0005GP-00 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Tue, 10 Sep 2002 08:25:09 -0400 Original-Received: from megalith.rattlesnake.com ([140.186.114.245] helo=localhost) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.10) id 17ok4j-0005G7-00 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Tue, 10 Sep 2002 08:25:02 -0400 Original-Received: by rattlesnake.com via sendmail from stdin id (Debian Smail3.2.0.114) Tue, 10 Sep 2002 12:24:58 +0000 (UTC) Original-To: damien_terrier@yahoo.com In-reply-to: <20020910084203.80798.qmail@web11508.mail.yahoo.com> (message from Damien Terrier on Tue, 10 Sep 2002 01:42:03 -0700 (PDT)) Errors-To: emacs-devel-admin@gnu.org X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.11 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: Emacs development discussions. List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: Xref: main.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:7803 X-Report-Spam: http://spam.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.devel:7803 I'm currently writing a serie of six to seven tutorials for Emacs aimed at the new to average user. .... That is wonderful! Are you teaching an average user how to define his or her keyboard more usefully? In particular, are you teaching an average user how to set his or her control key so that it works when you press the key to the left of the `a' key on the main row? With this setting, the "Incremental Search" command is easy to type. Many US (and I think many French) keyboards label the key to the left of the `a' key on the main row as `Caps_Lock'. This is an upper-case, lower-case toggle command taken from the old days of manual typewriters. It is an ancient carry over from the days when a `computer' was a human being who did computations, rather than an electronic device. For example, the keyboard I am now using has this labeling on its main row: Caps_Lock A S D F G H J K L ; ' RET By default, computers with `Caps_Lock' on the label of a key set that key to run the upper-case, lower-case toggle command. But a much better command for the key to the left of the `a' key is `Control'. In particular, `C-s' (isearch) is easy to type when the little finger is at the far left of the main row and the first finger is on the key third from the left on the main row. On my keyboard, the default position for the key labeled `Ctrl' is second from the left on the lowest row. This position is fairly common. (Sometimes that key is farthest left on the bottom row.) Either way, when the control key is located at the lower left, the `C-s' (isearch) interactive command is hard to type. Either you must twist your hand to the left so the little finger can reach the key or you must use some other finger, such as your thumb. (I find that I can move my thumb to press the key labeled `Alt' which is to the right of the key labeled `Ctrl', but that I have a hard time moving it far enough to reach the key to its left.) Either way it is typed, the lower left key location provides for a poor user interface. Consequently, that key location on the lower left should be used only for rarely pressed key strokes. Unfortunately, because some keyboard makers have not yet left the mechanical typewriter era, they produce keyboards, like mine, that have the wrong labeling and the wrong defaults for a decent user interface. A novice Emacs user who does not know how to redefine keybindings will be hurt by such defaults. Does your tutorial tell such a user how to define his or her keyboard more usefully? Could you show us the section and the various commands for people using keyboards different layouts? -- Robert J. Chassell bob@rattlesnake.com bob@gnu.org Rattlesnake Enterprises http://www.rattlesnake.com Free Software Foundation http://www.gnu.org GnuPG Key ID: 004B4AC8