GNU bug report logs - #40457
26.3; A little Help from `list-packages'?

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Message #17 received at 40457 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "Y. E." <yugenekr <at> gmail.com>
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>, 40457 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#40457: 26.3; A little Help from `list-packages'?
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2021 13:59:24 +0300

> (emacs) `Package Menu' helps. But the buffer itself (and its menu and
> help commands) should provide better help.

So maybe link from the package-mode *Help* to (emacs) `Package Menu'?
(That's what I first thought Tomas meant.)

> Most of the rest of the bug report is about whether the batch-oriented
> command set of package.el is appropriate.  I think marking and then
> `x'-executing packages is a pretty odd interface myself -- I don't think
> the user commonly works in that batch-oriented way, so having this be a
> two step process is pretty weird.

For me, it felt weird only before reading *Help* of the package-mode.
After that, it felt quite in accordance with the rest of Emacs behavior.

[But that depends of course on whether a user has already met
the e*x*ecute behavior and without considering inconsistencies
in Emacs behavior when e*x*ecuting on not-marked lines.]

I think with new keystrokes there's a risk to confuse (especially a new user)
even more: for example, using I (uppercase-i) and D per one package
install/delete would make already inconsistent U even more inconsistent.

Maybe also change `package-menu-quick-help' output:
it could be improved by mentioning *marking*, not only the action.

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