Re: Trying to find the status of auto-fill-mode in a buffer

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2024 20:14:09 +0100
> From:  Michael Heerdegen via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor 
> <help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>
> 
> Robert Pluim <rpluim@gmail.com> writes:
> 
> > I just meant that someone starting out with Emacs is unlikely to
> > understand what is meant by it (unless theyʼre already versed in
> > lisp). So 'value' is probably best, but if we change the text to say
> > "look at the value of the variable auto-fill-function", we will then
> > get "How do I do that?" :-) (and not everyone realises you can click
> > on the variable name or press RET on it)
> 
> I see it a bit differently: the current wording in this case uses an
> artificial, unnatural language, like "to find out how many people came
> to the party, evaluate `3'".  That's also why it's unnecessarily
> confusing.
> 
> "Value" is something I would avoid, especially in this context where
> buffer local bindings are involved.  "Binding of VAR" is a wording we
> use all over the place, for example in the manual.  One can could look
> it up.  To understand what is going on one has to be a bit familiar with
> the basic concepts (like buffer local bindings) anyway, so I see no
> reason not to use the language associated with these concepts.
> 
> And this sentence is not there to answer all questions.  We just should
> avoid directing people in a wrong direction.

Let me turn the table and ask what's wrong with "evaluate the
variable"?  If we are afraid that people will not know how to evaluate
a variable, all we need is to mention the name of the command and
perhaps also its key binding.  If there are other problems with the
current wording, please identify them.