Re: info info; man info (documentation about info)

[Alejandro Colomar]

Hi Arsen,

On 1/7/23 23:45, Arsen Arsenović wrote:
> Hi Alex,
>
> Alejandro Colomar <alx.manpages@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > > Check out ``info "(info)Help"''.
> >
> > That brings me to the same as `man info`.
>
> Hmph, that might be an alias on my system.  ``h'' should take you there,
> though.

No.  'h' takes me to `info info`.  It may also be due to not having emacs on my 
system, as Gavin said of 'H'?

[...]

> I am reading two problems from this:
>
> 1) From a first peek, it's not obvious that there's a tree involved.

Correct.

>     I've been given the suggestion of including a tree hierarchy on the
>     left side of the screen, if the screen is wide enough, that annotates
>     ones position in the info document hierarchy and makes it clear where
>     you are and when you move.  Maybe this would help?  Plus, adding a
>     section that explains the structure of a Texinfo manual as you
>     mention below.

Yes, that would probably help.

> 2) EMACS isn't that common anymore, and the chance that one is not used
>     to it, or that one has never used it, is high.
>
>     I'm not sure what can be done about this without stepping on toes of
>     those used to the current info keymap.  My infinite notebook has an
>     entry somewhere in it that talks about potentially adding a nano-like

Heh, the only program I uninstall right after installing a clean Debian. :)

>     informative panel on the bottom of the screen to inform the
>     first-time users of the basics of navigation.  I feel this might also
>     draw more attention to the welcome message since it adds a noticeable
>     visual element to the bottom of the screen.  Maybe that works?

I think having a pointer to the help is better, since a list of commands could 
not be comprehensive.

Pointing to H and/or h is enough, I think.  H shows me the command keys, which 
is nice.  However, the h tutorial is what could be improved, I think.

[...]

> > If you could add an alternative mode where it would behave somewhat like
> > less(1)/vim(1), that would be great.
>
> That's there!  ``info --vi-keys''

This should be added to the manual page.  I would expect such an accessibility 
mode to be there.

Still, I find |less more comfortable, to my taste.

I find some bindings a bit weird.  In less(1) or vim(1), right arrow can be used 
to read text to the right, for example.


Cheers,

Alex

--
<http://www.alejandro-colomar.es/>

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