Re: ill-advised changes [was key bindings in hideshow.el]

[Richard Stallman]

    I think choosing those Meta keys because they are unbound for minor
    modes is unwise because the existing C- versions are extensible within
    the context of the originating key.

In theory, that is right, but in these particular cases, it doesn't
apply.  The global definition of C-o does not have any natural
Meta-equivalent, and that's why we don't have a global definition of
M-o.

    I grepped around, and it seems to me that folding modes are special in
    that:

    a) There are several of them
    b) Keybindings should be easy to type to aid navigation.

You may be getting at a good idea here.  But I think that "folding
modes" may be too narrow a category.  Can you find a somewhat more
general description which still distinguishes them from the other
alternatives?