Re: Emacs Manual: Editing Format Information

[Devon]

Keyboard access to all menus is important because manuals
may lag behind menu updates either as published
or at many local installations.

   Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2001 10:56:16 +0200 (IST)
   From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz@is.elta.co.il>

   So I'm asking whether adding a sentence saying something like "The 
   keyboard way of adding text properties is described in the next section." 
   would solve the problem you raise.

No, it is as if we were seeing entirely different documents.
Here is the entire node as it appears on my screen,
indented, commented, changes ^^^^ marked...

   Editing Format Information
   --------------------------

      There are two ways to alter the formatting information for a
   formatted text file: with keyboard commands, and with the mouse.

Equal access for keyboard users is commendable
and essential for users who cannot mouse, e.g.,
blind users like RJC at MIT and SSH users like me.

      The easiest way to add properties to your document is by using the
   Text Properties menu.  You can get to this menu in two ways: from the
   Edit menu in the menu bar (`M-` e t' or `F10 e t', *note Menu Bar::) or
                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
   with `C-Mouse-2' (hold the <CTRL> key and press the middle mouse
   button).

If it is "the easiest way" then it must be keyboard accessible.
If not "the easiest way" then the published text is false and cannot stand.

      Most of the items in the Text Properties menu lead to other submenus.
   These are described in the sections that follow.  Some items run
   commands directly:

These commands are described here in this node and nowhere else.
Some appear to be accessible only from the Text Properties menu.
Better document keyboard access via that menu and also directly.

   `Remove Properties'
        Delete from the region all the text properties that the Text
        Properties menu works with (`facemenu-remove-props').

No apropos matches for `facemenu-remove-props'

   `Remove All'
        Delete _all_ text properties from the region
        (`facemenu-remove-all').

Better written as M-x facemenu-remove-all

   `List Properties'
        List all the text properties of the character following point
        (`list-text-properties-at').

Better written as M-x list-text-properties-at

   `Display Faces'
        Display a list of all the defined faces.

No apropos matches for `display.*faces'

   `Display Colors'
        Display a list of all the defined colors.

No apropos matches for `display.*colors'

...I hope this point-by-point commentary clarifies my point of view.
Having commands available only by mouse is a very bad idea.
Making all commands available to all is a very good idea.