@item C @var{new} @key{RET}
Copy the specified files (@code{dired-do-copy}). The argument @var{new}
is the directory to copy into, or (if copying a single file) the new
-name.
+name. This is similar to what the Unix @code{cp} command does.
@vindex dired-copy-preserve-time
If @code{dired-copy-preserve-time} is non-@code{nil}, then copying
with this command preserves the modification time of the old file in
-the copy.
+the copy, similarly to @kbd{cp -p}.
@vindex dired-recursive-copies
@cindex recursive copying
The variable @code{dired-recursive-copies} controls whether to copy
-directories recursively. The default is @code{nil}, which means that
-directories cannot be copied.
+directories recursively (a-la @kbd{cp -r}). The default is
+@code{nil}, which means that directories cannot be copied.
@item D
@findex dired-do-delete
@kindex D @r{(Dired)}
-Delete the specified files (@code{dired-do-delete}). Like the other
-commands in this section, this command operates on the @emph{marked}
-files, or the next @var{n} files. By contrast, @kbd{x}
+Delete the specified files (@code{dired-do-delete}). This is similar
+to what the Unix @code{rm} command does. Like the other commands in
+this section, this command operates on the @emph{marked} files, or the
+next @var{n} files. By contrast, @kbd{x}
(@code{dired-do-flagged-delete}) deletes all @dfn{flagged} files.
@findex dired-do-rename
@kindex R @r{(Dired)}
@cindex renaming files (in Dired)
+@cindex moving files (in Dired)
@item R @var{new} @key{RET}
-Rename the specified files (@code{dired-do-rename}). The argument
-@var{new} is the directory to rename into, or (if renaming a single
-file) the new name.
+Rename the specified files (@code{dired-do-rename}). If you rename a
+single file, the argument @var{new} is the new name of the file. If
+you rename several files, the argument @var{new} is the directory into
+which to move the files (this is similar to what the Unix @code{mv}
+command does).
Dired automatically changes the visited file name of buffers associated
with renamed files so that they refer to the new names.
@kindex H @r{(Dired)}
@cindex hard links (in Dired)
@item H @var{new} @key{RET}
-Make hard links to the specified files (@code{dired-do-hardlink}). The
-argument @var{new} is the directory to make the links in, or (if making
-just one link) the name to give the link.
+Make hard links to the specified files (@code{dired-do-hardlink}).
+This is similar to what the Unix @code{ln} command does. The argument
+@var{new} is the directory to make the links in, or (if making just
+one link) the name to give the link.
@findex dired-do-symlink
@kindex S @r{(Dired)}
@cindex symbolic links (creation in Dired)
@item S @var{new} @key{RET}
-Make symbolic links to the specified files (@code{dired-do-symlink}).
-The argument @var{new} is the directory to make the links in, or (if
-making just one link) the name to give the link.
+Make symbolic links to the specified files (@code{dired-do-symlink})
+(this is similar to what @kbd{ln -s} does on Unix). The argument
+@var{new} is the directory to make the links in, or (if making just
+one link) the name to give the link.
@findex dired-do-chmod
@kindex M @r{(Dired)}
@cindex changing file time (in Dired)
@item T @var{timestamp} @key{RET}
Touch the specified files (@code{dired-do-touch}). This means
-updating their modification times to the present time.
+updating their modification times to the present time. This is
+similar to what the Unix @code{touch} command does.
@findex dired-do-print
@kindex P @r{(Dired)}