Subject: Re: bug#53305: 29.0.50; Echo keystrokes without delay

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2022 12:58:28 +0100

Rudolf Adamkovič <[email-masked]> writes:

> Today, I set my Emacs to echo unfinished commands without a delay:
>
> (setq-default echo-keystrokes 1e-6)
>
> I experienced some problems along the way: (1) The variable name does
> not include the word "delay", making it hard to find;

Well, it does more than control the delay -- it also allows switching
the echoing off, so I think the name's OK.

> (2) I could not
> figure out how to disable the delay without providing a number of
> seconds; (3) When I press C-x C-g repeatedly, the C-x part flashes a
> bit.
>
> Does (3) have anything to do with the "1e-6" hack?  Ideally, I would
> want Emacs to have no delay and also no "redraw glitches".

Yes, it sets up a delay, and if your redisplay is too fast, the clearing
and re-drawing will be noticeable.  (I can't reproduce it on Debian.)

> I also wonder, does Emacs have the default 1-second delay to save
> bandwidth or something like that?  I ask because the default makes it
> harder to learn Emacs for inexperienced computer users.  I base my claim
> on causal observations of my children; they often wait for the echo
> area, unsure about their "unfinished commands".

No, the delay is because many people find echoing the unfinished
keystroke to be disturbing.

So I think everything here basically works as designed, and I'm closing
this bug report.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no