[usability] mouse-1 for performing actions?

[Simon Josefsson]

Why does emacs use mouse-2 for activating hyperlinks, buttons etc?

I haven't seen any other application doing this, and altough I don't
remember what I thought when I started using emacs, I could imagine
that a new user would be surprised by this.  Does anyone else agree?
Does anyone here talk with newbie users and have more insight?

I recall one argument; that mouse-1 is used to position point and is
therefor already taken.  I don't understand the argument, many GUI
applications have something similar as "point" and they don't have a
problem with using mouse-1 for two things.  Another argument on the
same theme is that mouse-1 is used to mark text.  Again, I don't see
the argument, emacs is able to separate the two cases where mouse-1 is
simply clicked and when it is used to mark text.  Many GUI
applications behave differently depending on how you click mouse-1.

Proposal: Make mouse-1 do the same as mouse-2 in Info (section links),
Help (customize link, back link, variable links, etc), and similar
buffers.