-@kindex DEL
-@kindex C-d
- The most basic delete commands are @kbd{C-d} (@code{delete-char}) and
-@key{DEL} (@code{delete-backward-char}). @kbd{C-d} deletes the
-character after point, the one the cursor is ``on top of.'' This
-doesn't move point. @key{DEL} deletes the character before the cursor,
-and moves point back. You can delete newlines like any other characters
-in the buffer; deleting a newline joins two lines. Actually, @kbd{C-d}
-and @key{DEL} aren't always delete commands; when given arguments, they
-kill instead, since they can erase more than one character this way.
-
-@kindex BACKSPACE
-@kindex BS
-@kindex DELETE
- Every keyboard has a large key which is a short distance above the
-@key{RET} or @key{ENTER} key and is normally used for erasing what you
-have typed. It may be labeled @key{DEL}, @key{BACKSPACE}, @key{BS},
-@key{DELETE}, or even with a left arrow. Regardless of the label on
-the key, in Emacs it called @key{DEL}, and it should delete one
-character backwards.
-
- Many keyboards (including standard PC keyboards) have a
-@key{BACKSPACE} key a short ways above @key{RET} or @key{ENTER}, and a
-@key{DELETE} key elsewhere. In that case, the @key{BACKSPACE} key is
-@key{DEL}, and the @key{DELETE} key is equivalent to @kbd{C-d}---or it
-should be.
-
- Why do we say ``or it should be''? When Emacs starts up using a
-graphical display, it determines automatically which key or keys should be
-equivalent to @key{DEL}. As a result, @key{BACKSPACE} and/or @key{DELETE}
-keys normally do the right things. But in some unusual cases Emacs
-gets the wrong information from the system. If these keys don't do
-what they ought to do, you need to tell Emacs which key to use for
-@key{DEL}. @xref{DEL Does Not Delete}, for how to do this.
-
-@findex normal-erase-is-backspace-mode
- On most text-only terminals, Emacs cannot tell which keys the
-keyboard really has, so it follows a uniform plan which may or may not
-fit your keyboard. The uniform plan is that the @acronym{ASCII} @key{DEL}
-character deletes, and the @acronym{ASCII} @key{BS} (backspace) character asks
-for help (it is the same as @kbd{C-h}). If this is not right for your
-keyboard, such as if you find that the key which ought to delete backwards
-enters Help instead, see @ref{DEL Does Not Delete}.