Re: Tweaking the output of `C-h b'

[Kévin Le Gouguec]

Stefan Kangas <stefankangas@gmail.com> writes:

> The symbols used in customize are okay, but are far too inconspicuous
> even there, I think.  Or it might just seem that way because the
> customize interface in general is clunkier with regards to navigation --
> for example you don't have "n"/"p" going to the next and previous entry.

FWIW I like the SVG symbols in Customize.  The orange Noto glyphs are
visible alright, but I'm not a fan of tying UI elements to the fontset's
emoji font, which varies from system to system, and depends on user
customizations.

Whatever the consensus ends up being for C-h b, I think there is value
in having consistent UI elements for folding across Emacs.  Consistency
means that when users learn about a UI element in one situation, this
knowledge can be instantly applied wherever we made the effort to use
the same convention.

Right now users have to contend with

- ellipses in outline (and derived modes such as Org) and hideshow,
- SVG icons in Customize,
- whichever characters in outline-minor-mode-buttons their fontset can
  display, *when* outline-minor-mode-use-buttons is set,
- fringe bitmaps in magit-section.

Admittedly, none of these UIs is hard to understand individually, and
I'm sure it could be argued that each of these situations has specific
issues that justify using specific symbols; still, collectively, they
make for a rather cacophonic experience IMO.