Re: What is the need for @node and @menu?

[Karl Berry]

Hello Anna,

    the more I believe that the use of @node command is redundant.

Indeed, I suggested some years ago that @node be made optional.  rms
rejected the idea, because he felt node names should often be different
than section names, for brevity in the online versions.  I'm not sure
about that, but didn't think it was worth the time to argue further.

(It is also far from trivial to implement.)

    Also, by using two different classes of structuring commands (one
    for online publishing and one for printing), the author is now required
    to THINK in two different ways.  Its an unnecessary complexity.

Well, I don't think it's that bad (which is mostly why I gave up on
pursuing it).  When I write a Texinfo document, I simply mechanically
create the nodes and sections in parallel:

@node Foo
@section Foo

... foo ...

@node Bar
@section Bar

... bar ...


It's redundant, but it doesn't require any particular extra thought.

I don't worry about the menus or the top node.  They can be created (and
updated) automatically by various commands in the Emacs texinfo-mode, as
explained in the documentation.


All the best,
Karl