RE: Checkboxes and intermediate state

["Chris Randle" <chris@amlog.co.uk>]

Hi Carsten

Carsten Dominik wrote:
> this was an intentional change, I thought that a
> simple command to get rid of a checkbox was more
> important.
> 
> I have put setting to [-] back in now, but you will need a double
> prefix 


Thanks for doing that. The 6.22b manual needs updating on p46 (half-way
down).

I hate to come across as awkward, but I'd like to find out how others
use checkboxes and their opinion of this change.

I use checkboxes daily. Largely as a sub-set of mini-todos under a main
todo heading. For example, I have a computer in for a fix, and as I work
on it removing bits or changing settings, I'll quickly add a new line
(`M-S-RET') to remind me to revert the changes afterwards. Mini-example
of being part-way working through the finished list with a defrag kicked
off:

*** TODO Finish up
    - [X] Uninstall WinPcap driver
    - [X] Uninstall UltraVNC
    - [-] Defrag
    - [ ] Reset screen resolution to 1280x854

I've not used the new ability to convert lines to/from checkboxes,
although I can see how it could be useful, especially on a block of
items. But, there are a couple of things I'd like to get a feel for from
others using checkboxes heavily:

Taking the example above, and doing `C-u C-c C-c' on the defrag line, I
don't see why this result

*** TODO Finish up
    - [X] Uninstall WinPcap driver
    - [X] Uninstall UltraVNC
    - Defrag
    - [ ] Reset screen resolution to 1280x854

should be more important/useful/common than the previous pending state.

Converting items to/from checkboxes, I should have thought, would have
been something done once, whereas manipulating the state of a checkbox
was something that is done more often. So I think that `C-u C-c C-c'
should stay as toggle pending state and `C-u C-u C-c C-c' (less
frequently used?) should be remove checkbox. Also, why then doesn't
(currently) `C-u C-c C-c' put a checkbox back in?

I do so much want to stress how I don't want to criticise your fabulous
code. I'm so grateful to you for Org-mode - it's miraculous. I just want
to see if my usage is a minority style.

-- 
Chris Randle
Windows XP Pro SP3 - GNU Emacs 22.1.1 - Org-mode 6.21b