(defun quoted-insert (arg)
"Read next input character and insert it.
This is useful for inserting control characters.
-You may also type up to 3 octal digits, to insert a character with that code.
+
+If the first character you type after this command is an octal digit,
+you should type a sequence of octal digits which specify a character code.
+Any nondigit terminates the sequence. If the terminator is a space,
+it is discarded; any other terminator is used itself as input.
In overwrite mode, this function inserts the character anyway, and
does not handle octal digits specially. This means that if you use
insert characters when necessary.
In binary overwrite mode, this function does overwrite, and octal
-digits are interpreted as a character code. This is supposed to make
-this function useful in editing binary files."
+digits are interpreted as a character code. This is intended to be
+useful for editing binary files."
(interactive "*p")
(let ((char (if (or (not overwrite-mode)
(eq overwrite-mode 'overwrite-mode-binary))