RE: Usability suggestion : completion for M-:

[Drew Adams]

> > I said, "M-TAB or ESC TAB". 
> 
> I noticed, but I find ESC TAB quite a bit inconvenient for 
> such a common operation as completion.

So use C-M-i. Or bind some other key. TAB, if you like. I don't see a
general argument for changing the default behavior.

> >> - TAB is rather commonly used for completion (for example 
> >> when reading file names in Emacs, in shells, hacks to use
> >> TAB for completions in Emacs are seen as positive by some 
> >> Emacs users)
> > 
> > Did you read what I wrote? TAB can be used for some other, 
> > better completion in M-: than symbol completion - completion
> > that would be consistent with other minibuffer completion
> > (complete the whole input, then RET to enter).
> 
> Sorry, I missed that part. Do you mean adding closing
> parenthesis? Then it could be combined I believe.

The possibility along these lines that I mentioned is to use TAB the same
way you use it in a Lisp buffer. And to, in general, make it easier to use
M-: for an arbitrary Lisp sexp. That means having TAB, C-M-q, etc. have
their normal Lisp mode bindings. What's good for Lisp mode is good for M-:,
and that includes TAB.