Re: Patch to disable links line in *info* buffer

[Robert J. Chassell]

   I think the Consensus on this mailing list seems to be that the
   old-new-style -- node-names in header-line only, not copyable -- is
   better.

It is better than duplicating lines, which as Eli says, looks like a
display bug.  At this stage, the best temporary solution may be to
revert.

The ultimate solution may be more along the lines that Eli mentioned:

    ... a way to copy mode- and header-lines. 

although the design of the current node header does not list the Info
filename, only the next, previous, and up nodes.  I am not sure that
the current header format is wrong; I am only saying that it is not
useful to me as designed.

Considering what you [Miles] said:

   That leaves the question of what people like who _do_ want easy
   copyability should do.

    1) Just tell them `set Info-use-header-line to nil'

This is the way it has been for a while, and works fine for
knowledgeable people.  This feature should certainly continue.

    2) Keep reminding them of the `Info-copy-current-node-name' function
       (bound to `c' in info-mode, and also in the Info menu)

We don't need to say more than this.

    3) Perhaps add a more intuitive binding for Info-copy-current-node-name.

I think both the mouse and keyboard bindings for
`Info-copy-current-node-name' are fine as they are.

The `Info-copy-current-node-name' function produces output that is
very convenient if you know Info, since it creates a reference in a
form that `Info-goto-node' understands.

Unfortunately, I often communicate with people who don't know about
Info, or who know very little, whom I am trying to inspire.

For example, yesterday morning, a correspondent asked whether Texinfo
files are directed graphs?  After distinguishing between the
organization of a document and the @section and similar commands,
which format headers, I quoted from Texinfo manual, saying

    As the Texinfo manual says with respect to Info:

        File: texinfo,  Node: Info Files

For this person, such a long-winded reference is more informative and
inspiring than the output of the `Info-copy-current-node-name'
function,

    (texinfo)Info Files

even though the latter is more efficient for those who already know
Info. (I doubt this correspondent knows much about Info yet.  I hope
she will start using Texinfo to document her work, which is writing
programs for biological researchers, as well as make the software
free.)

-- 
    Robert J. Chassell                  address@hidden
    Rattlesnake Enterprises             http://www.rattlesnake.com