[O] Automatic ordered lists with "intelligent decimalization"?

[Lawrence Bottorff]

I've seen explanations all around this issue, but nothing specific to the question: Can you create so-called *ordered* list entries automatically, i.e., just with M-ret and  M-left/right? I saw this very question asked in stackoverflow.com (http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13378222/emacs-ordered-lists-in-org-mode) . . . then not answered.

I want to create a hierarchy of list items which are numbered, with proper "decimalization" for the subtree(s):

1. thing-1

1.1. thing-1-1

1.2. thing-1-2

1.2.1. thing-1-2-1

. . . 

It seems from the documentation that this behavior is only manual insertion. Otherwise, I start with

1. Header

then do M-ret and M-right. But that only indents and starts another 1. line.

1. Header

   1. sub header

Subsequent M-ret's only produces either increments, or a M-ret M-right creates a sub-sub starting again at 1:

1. Header

   1. sub header

   2. sub header

   3. sub header

      1. sub sub header