Re: Backspace in xterm (again)
Joost> But then `Alt-Backspace' in emacs deletes one word, as it does on
Joost> the VC and so on. So I don't see the point in doing it different
Joost> on an xterm. Nor do I think it is good: When I press `Alt-Backspace',
Joost> I want something different to happen than when I just press `Backspace'.
Joost> Whatever `different' means is discutable, but just mapping the two keys
Joost> to the same action seems not quite the best thing.
Joost> Mapping Both Alt and Esc to the same thing seem s OK to me, as that's
Joost> what happens in most other environments too.
Well, in the XEmacs I am using to compose this, I use M-backspace
(using the "windows" key) to backwards delete a word. A-backspace
(using the Alt key) gives "A-backspace not defined". So to me it makes
sense that bash in xterms should use M-backspace as the "delete-word"
keybinding. I suppose you could argue that A-backspace should do
nothing rather than delete one char...
IMHO it is useful to have Meta and Alt different, since it means that,
for instance, emacs and window manager keybindings are less likely to
conflict: so I can use Alt-Tab to cycle through my windows while
Meta-Tab does mail alias completion in emacs.
AFAIK the various emacs have always used Meta as the modifier key, and
just did the best they could on keyboards with not enough buttons so
that Alt and Meta couldn't be separate.
--
Gilbert Laycock email: gtl1@mcs.le.ac.uk
Maths and Computer Science, http://www.mcs.le.ac.uk/~glaycock
Leicester University phone: (+44) 116 252 3902
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