Re: RS/RE and (relative) inset (was: RS/RE and paragraphing macros)

[Alex Colomar]

On 2/21/23 01:18, G. Branden Robinson wrote:
> Hi Alex,

Hi Branden,

> At 2023-02-21T00:37:55+0100, Alex Colomar wrote:
> > I'm not convinced about this change:
> >
> >
> > @@ -1976,7 +1978,7 @@ or
> >   or its synonyms is called;
> >   these clear the indentation entirely.
> >   .
> > -Relative insets created by
> > +Insets created by
> >   .B .RS
> >   move the left margin and persist until
> >   .BR .RS ,
> >
> >
> > RS insets are relative (to other RS), aren't they?  They specify the
> > left-margin inset relative to the current left margin (rather than
> > absolute to the terminal 1st column, or equivalent for other devices).
> > I don't think removing relative was a good choice, was it?
>
> I was trying to economize words; there exists no mechanism (in man(7)
> macros) to set an "absolute" inset, so within the domain of discussion,
> there is no distinction to be made.  (The point is made regardless with
> the explication of the RS/RE macros' names.)

Makes sense.  It could have been in a separate commit, with the why, 
since it doesn't have any relation with the consistency wording fix 
about indentation vs inset, but okay. :)

> This absence of absolute insetting may be less obvious to you since
> you're familiar with Michael Kerrisk's sneaky trick of grubbing about
> with `in` requests.
>
> I have tried to write the groff_man(7) page accurately and concisely for
> experienced *roff macro package users, and groff_man_style(7) in a more
> tutorial and accommodating way for newcomers.

I'll read them some day :-)

> I'm reluctant to take on--in the man pages--an audience somewhere
> between these two others because that is a large and ill-defined
> population with knowledge levels that are all over the place.  I don't
> want to introduce a lot of jargon about formatter concepts that
> newcomers don't need to know only to repeatedly reassure them that they
> don't have to worry about it if they just stick to the prescribed macro
> calls.  I think that would lead to the page bloating to much larger
> dimensions.
>
> By contrast, mailing lists (and Reddit, StackExchange, etc.) are, I
> think, appropriate forums for intermediate *roff users to develop their
> expertise.

Yup, they are!

> Regards,
> Branden

Cheers,
Alex

--
<http://www.alejandro-colomar.es/>
GPG key fingerprint: A9348594CE31283A826FBDD8D57633D441E25BB5

OpenPGP_signature
Description: OpenPGP digital signature