*** empty log message ***

etc/NEWS

@@ -210,10 +210,25 @@ menu or the Edit menu if there is no major mode menu.
 ** Variable `load-path' is no longer customizable because it contains
 a version-dependent component.
 
-** The <delete> function key is now bound to `delete-char' by default.
-Note that this takes effect only on window systems.  On TTYs, Emacs
-will receive ASCII 127 when the DEL key is pressed.  This
-character is still bound as before.
+** The new user-option `delete-key-deletes-forward' can be set to 
+let the Delete function key delete forward instead of backward.
+
+On window systems, the default value of this option is chosen
+according to the keyboard used.  If the keyboard has both a Backspace
+key and a Delete key, and both are mapped to their usual meanings, the
+option's default value is set to t, so that Backspace can be used to
+delete backward, and Delete can be used used to delete forward
+
+If not running under a window system, setting this option accomplishes
+a similar effect by mapping C-h, which is usually generated by the
+Backspace key, to DEL, and by mapping DEL to C-d via
+`keyboard-translate'.  The former functionality of C-h is available on
+the F1 key.  You should probably not use this setting if you don't
+have both Backspace, Delete and F1 keys.
+
+Programmatically, you can call function
+delete-key-deletes-forward-mode to toggle the behavior of the Delete
+key.
 
 ** Item Save Options on the Options menu allows saving options set
 using that menu.

lisp/ChangeLog

@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 2000-12-14  Gerd Moellmann  <gerd@gnu.org>
 
+	* startup.el (command-line): Call delete-key-deletes-forward-mode,
+	if appropriate.
+
+	* simple.el (delete-key-deletes-forward): New user-option.
+	(delete-key-deletes-forward-mode): New function.
+
+	* bindings.el (ctl-x-map): Bind `delete' to backward-delete-char.
+
 	* emacs-lisp/easymenu.el (easy-menu-current-active-maps): Test
 	if symbol is bound before getting its value.