RE: display.texi: (<line>,<col>) isn't documented.

[Drew Adams]

> > I think explicit units help, and are consistent and clear also
> > when only one unit is used (25c). I think they should be placed
> > after the numbers, not before: 12<line-unit>25<column-unit>.
> > So, 12L25C or 12l25c or 12y25x or some
> > such. If we can spare a space, then it is even more readable: 12L 25C.
>
> "Lines" and "Columns" here aren't units - they're identifying
> information.  If the cursor is on L168, that's in no way 4 times its
> being on L42.

Perhaps it depends on how you interpret "L" or "lines".

168 lines from buffer top edge is exactly 4 times as far from buffer that
edge as is 42 lines (modulo existence of header lines etc.). 50 columns from
buffer left edge is 5 times as many columns as is 10 columns from that edge.

"Line" as a unit here means line height (including, perhaps, inter-line
spacing). You could even define this unit in terms of points or pixels (you
agree that they are units, right?). It a relative unit, of course, defined
in terms of `frame-char-height' (again, perhaps + inter-line spacing), so
that 1 line in buffer foo might be 14 pixels and 1 line in buffer bar might
be 10 pixels. And of course pixel is itself a relative unit, depending on
monitor ppi... Likewise, for column and `frame-char-width'.

A better argument might be to say that 25x 50y does not refer to 25 x units
and 50 y units (which is why I spoke of x and y directions in that case, and
of x and y as standing for horizontal and vertical).

I really don't care which word you want to use: "unit", "label", "bizdink".
If my write-the-units-after-the-quantities argument doesn't make sense to
you in this context, that's OK.

> As an analogy, you might live at "flat 15" in a block of
> flats.  That's not "15 flats", it's not a unit of measurement; it's
> merely a label, and if building work happened, you might suddenly find
> yourself living at "flat 30", for which you wouldn't want to pay twice
> the rent.

30 flats from block edge (zero) - what's the problem?

Now, if the street addresses of two successive flats are not consecutive,
then there is perhaps a non-linear or even a bizarre relation between flat
units and address units, but that doesn't invalidate either as a unit.

I don't see the contradiction you see - or the relation between flat units
and duobled rent. Perhaps your whole post was meant as humor and I'm just
not getting it? I'm just hoping I understand "flat" correctly ;-).

> You might tell a visitor to come in through the front door, up
> the stairs, then you live at the third flat on the left.  Here, "flat" IS
> being used as a unit.
>
> Note the difference in order:  "flat 15" vs. "the third flat".

My monitor is 3 inches from the table edge (third inch from the edge) and 15
inches from the wall (inch 15 from the wall). So what?