GNU bug report logs - #40915
[PATCH] Make leaving Info-summary more intuitive

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Message #11 received at 40915 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Kangas <stefan <at> marxist.se>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 40915 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#40915: [PATCH] Make leaving Info-summary more intuitive
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2020 09:37:38 +0200

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

> I'm not sure I understand the expected result.  The help buffer
> displayed when you press '?' says:
>
>   q     Quit Info: reselect previously selected buffer.
>
> So it seems Info behaves as documented?  The way to exit the help
> screen and return to the Info manual is by repeatedly pressing SPC
> until you wind up in the original Info buffer.

Sure, the result is formally correct.  It's just counter-intuitive.

Normally when I say 'q' in the "*Help*" buffer, I bury it.  But here,
'q' buries two buffers.

> I could understand that we'd like to have a single key to quit the
> help screen, perhaps even when 'q' is pressed (which would be a change
> in behavior), but even then it is IMO wrong to completely remove the
> pushing onto unread-command-events, because this command is set such
> that you could read about a key and execute it while still in the help
> screen.  IOW, the fact that the key you pres is generally executed
> after exiting the help screen is an important feature: it avoids the
> need to remember the key you found in *Help* and retype it after you
> are back in the Info buffer.

Thanks for explaining the motivation behind that feature.

I'm fine with doing a less invasive change: treat 'q' as a special
case in Info-summary.  Many users are hardwired to press 'q' to make a
"*Help*" buffer go away.

However, there is an inconsistency between modes; in view-mode and
special-mode, '?' is bound to describe-major-mode.

Would it be worth it to be more consistent?  In other words, doing one of:

(a) make 'Info-summary' into a general help command and use it in more
places, or
(b) deprecate 'Info-summary' in favour of 'describe-mode'.

It seems to me that _if_ we think the 'Info-summary' behaviour is
useful, we would want to ensure more modes can benefit from it.  Or,
to put it another way, I don't see why it would be uniquely useful to
Info-mode -- it should be useful either in many more modes or nowhere.
I haven't formed a strong opinion on this, but it would be interesting
to hear what people think.

Best regards,
Stefan Kangas

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