@subsection If @key{DEL} Fails to Delete
@cindex @key{DEL} vs @key{BACKSPACE}
@cindex @key{BACKSPACE} vs @key{DEL}
+@cindex usual erasure key
- Every keyboard has a large key, a little ways above the @key{RET}
-or @key{ENTER} key, which you normally use outside Emacs to erase
-the last character that you typed. We call this key @key{DEL}.
+ Every keyboard has a large key, a little ways above the @key{RET} or
+@key{ENTER} key, which you normally use outside Emacs to erase the
+last character that you typed. We call this key @dfn{the usual
+erasure key}. In Emacs, it is supposed to be equivalent to @key{DEL}.
When Emacs starts up using a window system, it determines
automatically which key should be @key{DEL}. In some unusual cases
-Emacs gets the wrong information from the system. If the @key{DEL}
-key deletes forwards instead of backwards, that is probably what
-happened---Emacs ought to be treating the @key{DELETE} key as
+Emacs gets the wrong information from the system. If the usual
+erasure key deletes forwards instead of backwards, that is probably
+what happened---Emacs ought to be treating the @key{DELETE} key as
@key{DEL}, but it isn't.
- With a window system, if the @key{DEL} key says @key{BACKSPACE} and
-there is a @key{DELETE} key elsewhere, but the @key{DELETE} key
-deletes backward instead of forward, that too suggests Emacs got the
-wrong information---but in the opposite sense. It ought to be
-treating the @key{BACKSPACE} key as @key{DEL}, but it isn't.
-
- On a text-only terminal, if you find the @key{DEL} key prompts for a
-Help command like @kbd{Control-h}, instead of deleting a character, it
-means that key is actually sending the @key{BS} character. Emacs
-ought to be treating @key{BS} as @key{DEL}, but it isn't.
+ With a window system, if the usual erasure key is labeled
+@key{BACKSPACE} and there is a @key{DELETE} key elsewhere, but the
+@key{DELETE} key deletes backward instead of forward, that too
+suggests Emacs got the wrong information---but in the opposite sense.
+It ought to be treating the @key{BACKSPACE} key as @key{DEL}, but it
+isn't.
+
+ On a text-only terminal, if you find the usual erasure key prompts
+for a Help command, like @kbd{Control-h}, instead of deleting a
+character, it means that key is actually sending the @key{BS}
+character. Emacs ought to be treating @key{BS} as @key{DEL}, but it
+isn't.
In all of those cases, the immediate remedy is the same: use the
command @kbd{M-x normal-erase-is-backspace-mode}. That should make