bug#371: describe-* and M-x should see past quote mark

[Drew Adams]

> If the cursor is upon the ' in
> 'emacs-version' describe-variable should still prompt for emacs-version.
> 
> E.g., on many Info pages there are lists of variables
> `w3m-command-arguments'
> 'gnus-version'
> one should be able to use C-n to slide down the edge without needing
> to advance the cursor one step in order to use C-h v.
> (OK, one could slide down column 1, but C-v puts us back in column 0.
> Don't (not) worry, I will file a bug.)
> 
> Same detection algorithm should apply to C-h f and M-x.

I agree. `describe-variable', `describe-function', and so on should return an
appropriate name nearest point, not necessarily precisely _at_ point.

I sent a patch to thingatpt.el with functions to do that. See these threads in
emacs-devel@gnu.org, both from July 2007:

"patch for thingatpt.el"
"symbol-at-point"

FWIW, I've redefined `describe-*' in my own code to DTRT in this regard. They
use the symbol nearest point, not at point.
http://www.emacswiki.org/cgi-bin/wiki/help-fns%2b.el