GNU bug report logs - #25747
25.1.91; hideshow binding C-c @ C-h overrides help

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From: Stefan Kangas <stefan <at> marxist.se>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: Allen Li <vianchielfaura <at> gmail.com>, 25747 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#25747: 25.1.91; hideshow binding C-c @ C-h overrides help
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2020 17:14:36 -0800

Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> writes:

>>     You can get a list of subcommands for a particular prefix key by
>>     typing C-h, ?, or F1 (describe-prefix-bindings) after the prefix
>>     key. (There are a few prefix keys for which not all of these keys
>>     work—those that provide their own bindings for that key. One of
>>     these prefix keys is ESC, because ESC C-h is actually C-M-h,
>>     which marks a defun. However, ESC F1 and ESC ? work fine.)
>>
>> I guess this is working as intended, then?
>
> I don't know, it could be.
>
>> I was thinking of the recommendation in the style guide, which I
>> have read many times more than the manual:
>>
>>     Don’t bind C-h following any prefix character (including
>>     C-c). If you don’t bind C-h, it is automatically available as
>>     a help character for listing the subcommands of the prefix
>>     character.
>
> Perhaps we should make that somewhat softer, e.g. "We don't recommend
> binding C-h ... if it can be avoided.." or somesuch.

I think it's fine to maintain a firm recommendation.  Binding C-h is a
very poor choice, and should be discouraged accordingly.

I also think that "C-c @ C-h" is a very unfortunate keybinding, even if
it is mnemonic for "hide".  But it seems much too late to do anything
about that now.

So I don't think we should do anything here, besides closing this as
wontfix.  Any other opinions?

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