[groff] 05/16: [docs]: Clarify tab stop width on terminals.

[G. Branden Robinson]

gbranden pushed a commit to branch master
in repository groff.

commit 97c911c0875a676d2ca817722c368908cf797121
Author: G. Branden Robinson <g.branden.robinson@gmail.com>
AuthorDate: Sat Sep 2 18:10:05 2023 -0500

    [docs]: Clarify tab stop width on terminals.
    
    Also tighten wording of a footnote.
---
 doc/groff.texi  | 21 +++++++++++----------
 man/groff.7.man |  2 ++
 man/roff.7.man  |  2 ++
 3 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/groff.texi b/doc/groff.texi
index 2025002b1..f08dd82d5 100644
--- a/doc/groff.texi
+++ b/doc/groff.texi
@@ -5332,10 +5332,11 @@ GNU @code{troff} translates input horizontal tab 
characters (``tabs'')
 and @key{Control+A} characters (``leaders'') into movements to the next
 tab stop.  Tabs simply move to the next tab stop; leaders place enough
 periods to fill the space.  Tab stops are by default located every half
-inch measured from the drawing position corresponding to the beginning
-of the input line; see @ref{Page Geometry}.   Tabs and leaders do not
-cause breaks and therefore do not interrupt filling.  Below, we use
-arrows @arrow{} and bullets @bullet{} to indicate input tabs and
+inch@footnote{Terminals generally set tab stops every eight character
+cells.} measured from the drawing position corresponding to the
+beginning of the input line; see @ref{Page Geometry}.   Tabs and leaders
+do not cause breaks and therefore do not interrupt filling.  Below, we
+use arrows @arrow{} and bullets @bullet{} to indicate input tabs and
 leaders, respectively.
 
 @Example
@@ -5346,12 +5347,12 @@ leaders, respectively.
 @endExample
 
 Tabs and leaders lend themselves to table construction.@footnote{``Tab''
-is short for ``tabulation'', revealing the term's origin as a spacing
-mechanism for table arrangement.} The tab and leader glyphs can be
-configured, and further facilities for sophisticated table composition
-are available; see @ref{Tabs and Fields}.  There are many details to
-track when using such low-level features, so most users turn to the
-@cite{tbl@r{(1)}} preprocessor to lay out tables.
+abbreviates ``tabulation'', suggesting table arrangement mechanism.} The
+tab and leader glyphs can be configured, and further facilities for
+sophisticated table composition are available; see @ref{Tabs and
+Fields}.  There are many details to track when using such low-level
+features, so most users turn to the @cite{tbl@r{(1)}} preprocessor to
+lay out tables.
 
 @c ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/man/groff.7.man b/man/groff.7.man
index d131d3d91..4764fd7f2 100644
--- a/man/groff.7.man
+++ b/man/groff.7.man
@@ -581,6 +581,8 @@ drawing position corresponding to the beginning of the 
input line;
 see section \[lq]Page geometry\[rq] of
 .MR roff 7 .
 .
+(Terminals generally set tab stops every eight character cells.)
+.
 Tabs and leaders do not cause breaks and therefore do not interrupt
 filling.
 .
diff --git a/man/roff.7.man b/man/roff.7.man
index d16f584ee..b9536cab2 100644
--- a/man/roff.7.man
+++ b/man/roff.7.man
@@ -357,6 +357,8 @@ Tab stops are by default located every half inch measured 
from the
 drawing position corresponding to the beginning of the input line;
 see subsection \[lq]Page geometry\[rq] below.
 .
+(Terminals generally set tab stops every eight character cells.)
+.
 With them,
 simple tables can be made.
 .