GNU bug report logs - #631
the M- notation suggestion

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From: Richard M Stallman <rms <at> gnu.org>
To: xah lee <xah <at> xahlee.org>
Cc: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: bug#631: the M- notation suggestion
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:59:39 -0400

    The Alt+?key? or Ctrl+?key? notation is universal among  
    Windows and Linux.

I think you mean "GNU/Linux".  Linux has no user interface and its
documentation has no reason to refer to any specific keys.

Our convention for the GNU system is C-x and M-x, which is what you
are proposing to change.

    Using a notation that contains the actual label on keyboard's keys is  
    much easier to understand. A beginning computer user, can read the  
    ?Ctrl+?key?? notation and figure out which keys to press.  

There is some validity in that argument.

For the Emacs Manual I have a feeling this would be very wasteful.
But maybe it would be ok for some of the help commands, maybe even for
all of them.

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