[Idle-dev] IDLEfork / Docs / Startup etc.

[StephenM.Gava]

> > As well as having a
> > command line switch to specify startup behaviour, the user's preferred
> > style  of idle startup will also be able to be saved as a configuration
> > item.
>
> Do remember that on Windows and Mac, the concept of "command line" is
> pretty meaningless to most users.

Hopefully, not (on windows at least) for all programmers. In fact with mac 
osx now programmers (and knowledgeable users) will have that extra 
flexibility there also. Besides, many many python users and programers are 
not primarily working on windows or mac...  But in any case the point is, 
wouldn't having the startup state configurable through a gui (and in the 
default config file) address that concern for those users you mention?

> > As for
> > help documentation: if pressing the "F1" (or configured help) key is to
> > retain it's sensible common meaning of "help on using this application"
> > then  I believe it should by default pop up help on using idle itself
> > (and the  python documentation could be on shift-F1 for instance),
>
> I'm not sure this is appropriate for IDLE and would argue for the simplest
> keypress (F1) to go to language help. It's not like IDLE has the goal of
> replacing Word or Emacs. IDLE isn't a self-standing application with value
> outside the Python context. It is an integrated development environment for
> Python, not a self-standing application. And there's not much help needed
> specifically for IDLE, either.

Mmm, still, F1 (on windows at least) conventionally means application help, 
and I don't see a compelling need to confuse the issue just for one 
application (idle).  In any case keystrokes will be configurable (also 
through the gui) so if VPython idle wanted to be non standard in this respect 
again you would just need to change the default config file in the idle you 
distribute.
-- 
Stephen M. Gava  <elguavas@users.sourceforge.net>
IDLEfork ( http://idlefork.sourceforge.net )  " just like IDLE, only crunchy "