Re: if vs. when vs. and: style question

[Dan Espen]

Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> writes:

>> > If you use a particular Unicode character often, just give its
>> > insertion a command and bind that to a key.  If you have 30 such
>> > chars, put them all on a prefix key.  Or use completion on their
>> > command names (names you created, so easy for you to type, remember,
>> > complete to,...).
>> >
>> > IOW, it's not a big deal to insert Unicode characters, especially
>> > if you insert the same ones over and over.  You do not need to use
>> > `C-x 8 RET' each time.
>> 
>> Sorry, that scales up for more than 1 or 2 characters how?
>
> Well, I doubt that I can convince you.  I can only repeat what I
> suggested.

My mind is made up, but interesting info like how to type Greek
are one reason why I commented at all.  I think keyboards and
keys are an important issue and the current state of the art falls
far short.  Some important keys are completely missing.
I have no idea why HELP, UNDO, COPY, PASTE, REDO, MINIMIZE,
SCREEN LOCK, etc.
are completely MIA.
Other keys just gather dust.  (SysRq, Scroll Lock, Pause/Break,
KP_/, KP_*
What are these designers thinking.

> There is a big difference, I think, between (1) using `C-x 8 RET'
> to complete against zillions of character names (or code points) that
> you might not be familiar with and (2) completing against a relative
> few (5? 10? 50? 150?) char-command names that you yourself came up with.
>
> My point is that if someone uses relatively few - which, depending on
> the person, could be 5 or 500 (or 5000?) chars, then it can make sense
> to put their insertion on keys (commands).

That's why I asked how many additional characters are proposed for
lets say Python.  More than a few would be a problem.
I put the not sign (¬) on shifted backspace and
still look in my xmodmap file to remember where it is.

>> I already have a little piece of oak tag paper that I've cut out
>> to surround the 6-key pad above the arrow keys.
>> The paper has the legend:
>> 
>>            UNDO
>> FRONT OPEN AGAIN
>>     -keys-
>>            COPY
>> 
>> Yep, even for 5 specially assigned keys, my mind sometimes goes
>> blank and I look at the paper.
>
> Hey, my mind goes blank too.  But instead of paper I use completion.
> IOW, I ask Emacs for help.

A few of those keys above are for the window manager.
Emacs completion doesn't help.

>> A normal keyboard just isn't designed for a bunch of strange
>> characters.
>
> Maybe so.  But if you use the euro character a *lot*, for example,
> then you might just consider assigning it a key.  Rather than using
> `C-x 8 RET euro sign RET' each time to insert it.

I'd rather not need the additional characters.

-- 
Dan Espen