Re: [HACKERS] psql: new help related to variables are not tooreadable

Hello,

>> Personnally I'm fine with a pager, so vertical spacing is fine. I just do
>> not like paging horizontally.
>
> ​-1​ [...]
>
> ​If I was going to try and read it like a book I'd want the extra
> white-space to make doing so easier (white-space gives the eye a breather
> when done with a particular concept) - and the length wouldn't really
> matter since I'd just make a single pass and be done with it.  But the
> planned usage is for quick lookup of options that you know (or at least
> suspect) exist and which you probably have an approximate idea of how they
> are spelled.  The all-caps and left-justified block headers are distinct
> enough to scan down - though I'd consider indenting 4 spaces instead of 2
> to make that even easier (less effort to ignore the indented lines since
> ignoring nothing is easier than ignoring something).​  Having more fit on
> one screen makes that vertical skimming considerably easier as well (no
> break and re-acquire when scrolling in a new page).

Interesting and fine arguments!

> So I'll agree that in an absolute sense reading the whole of the content in
> its condensed form is more difficult than if there were blank lines in
> between each block, but usability for the intended purpose is better in the
> current form.

As far as usability is concerned, I most often use the "/" pager search 
feature, or page down to scan everything. Both uses are not really 
hampered by skipping lines, but I can leave with that as well.

Help formatting could be an option, but that would require more coding and 
I'm not sure of the i18n aspect.

-- 
Fabien.
-- 
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