Trying to placate Fred: redefine \tilde and \bslash; document everything.

Still some not-quite-standard definitions in here that I have to fix.

Doc/texinputs/distutils.sty

@@ -6,21 +6,35 @@
 %
 
 % My gripe list about the Python style files:
-%  * I want italics in verbatim environments (verbatim.sty?)
+%  * I want italics in verbatim environments for variable
+%    text (verbatim.sty?)
 %  * I hate escaping underscores (url.sty fixes this)
 
-% Should these be added to the standard Python doc tools?  (They'll be
-% needed for my "Distributing Python Modules" guide, too.)
+% '\command' is for Distutils commands which, depending on your
+% perspective, are just arguments to the setup script, or sub-
+% commands of the setup script, or the classes that implement
+% each "command".
 \newcommand{\command}[1]{\code{#1}}
+
+% '\option' is for Distutils options *in* the setup script.  Command-
+% line options *to* the setup script are marked up in the usual
+% way, ie. with '\programopt' or '\longprogramopt'
 \newcommand{\option}[1]{\textsf{\small{#1}}}
+
+% '\filevar' is for variable components of file/path names -- eg.
+% when you put 'prefix' in a pathname, you mark it up with
+% '\filevar' so that it still looks pathname-ish, but is
+% distinguished from the literal part of the path.  Fred says
+% this can be accomplished just fine with '\var', but I violently
+% disagree.  Pistols at dawn will sort this one out.
 \newcommand{\filevar}[1]{{\textsl{\filenq{#1}}}}
-\newcommand{\homefile}[1]{\file{\tilde/#1}}
-\newcommand{\comingsoon}{\emph{Coming soon...}}
+
 \def\package{\module}
 
-% And how about these?  Very handy for writing pathnames (tilde for
-% Unix, backslash for DOS/Windows).
-\renewcommand{\tilde}{\raisebox{-0.5ex}{\symbol{126}}}
-\newcommand{\bslash}{\symbol{92}}      % XXX only works in tt fonts!
+% These two are handy for writing pathnames for Unix and Windows
+% (respectively).  I define my own macros because I'm a lazy typist.
+\renewcommand{\tilde}{\textasciitilde}
+\newcommand{\bslash}{\textbackslash}
 
+% Just while the code and docs are still under development.
 \newcommand{\XXX}[1]{\textbf{**#1**}}