Re: describe-bindings: ^L, bad order, naming

[Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>]

> From: David Reitter <david.reitter@gmail.com>
> Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 07:43:43 +0000
> Cc: Emacs-Devel ' <emacs-devel@gnu.org>
> 
> Natural language is rarely sensical. It's use is idiomatic, and  
> forcefully changing established usage is not only patronizing, but  
> also not very fruitful.

I think Emacs invented the "key binding" term many years before the
"keyboard shortcuts" term.  So we are not forcing anyone, nor
patronizing them, we are simply using the same term since 1985.

Btw, googling for "key bindings" brings up many hits that have nothing
to do with Emacs.  So this term appears to be quite known in the UI
context.

> There is no educational value in a menu item hidden in a Help submenu  
> anyways when people don't find the list of key bindings that they are  
> looking for

In my experience, most newbies rarely look for the key bindings
anyway, they use the menus and the tool bar.  So please don't overplay
your (otherwise correct, IMHO) suggestions to make this feature more
useful.  A correct argument doesn't become more convincing if you try
to back it up by extreme or even absurd assertions.

> On 11 Nov 2005, at 02:55, Miles Bader wrote:
> 
> > A phrase like "Keyboard Commands" might be more familar than
> > "bindings", without the objectional implication of "shortcuts".
> 
> Yes, "Keyboard Commands" or maybe even "Key Commands" would be a good  
> choice.

I think it would be a rather bad choice, since neither of these terms
is widely used.  But that's me.