Small Updates to the README (#2091)

Update the README and related files.

This commit generally updates some language in the "About" section, and other sections with respect to keeping accurate information, and laying out the project goals in a clear way.

We're also marking Alacritty as "beta" software at this point, not that this has any explicit meaning.

README.md

@@ -5,24 +5,27 @@ Alacritty
 [![Appveyor build Status](https://ci.appveyor.com/api/projects/status/github/jwilm/alacritty?svg=true)](https://ci.appveyor.com/project/jwilm/alacritty)
 
 Alacritty is the fastest terminal emulator in existence. Using the GPU for
-rendering enables optimizations that simply aren't possible in other emulators.
+rendering enables optimizations that simply aren't possible without it.
-Alacritty currently supports macOS, Linux, and Windows.
+Alacritty currently supports macOS, Linux, BSD, and Windows.
 
 <p align="center">
-  <img width="600" alt="Alacritty running vim inside tmux" src="https://cloud.githubusercontent.com/assets/4285147/21585004/2ebd0288-d06c-11e6-95d3-4a2889dbbd6f.png">
+  <img width="600"
+       alt="Alacritty running vim inside tmux"
+       src="https://cloud.githubusercontent.com/assets/4285147/21585004/2ebd0288-d06c-11e6-95d3-4a2889dbbd6f.png">
 </p>
 
 ## About
 
-Alacritty is focused on simplicity and performance. The performance goal means
+Alacritty is a terminal emulator with a strong focus on simplicity and
-it should be faster than any other terminal emulator available. The simplicity
+performance. With such a strong focus on performance, included features are
-goal means that it doesn't have features such as tabs or splits (which can be
+carefully considered and you can always expect Alacritty to be blazingly fast.
-better provided by a window manager or [terminal multiplexer][tmux]) nor
+By making sane choices for defaults, Alacritty requires no additional setup.
-niceties like a GUI config editor.
+However, it does allow [configuration](#configuration) of many aspects of the
+terminal.
 
-The software is considered to be at an **alpha** level of readiness--there are
+The software is considered to be at a **beta** level of readiness -- there are
-missing features and bugs to be fixed, but it is already used by many as a daily
+a few missing features and bugs to be fixed, but it is already used by many as
-driver.
+a daily driver.
 
 Precompiled binaries are available from the [GitHub releases page](https://github.com/jwilm/alacritty/releases).
 
@@ -34,8 +37,8 @@ Precompiled binaries are available from the [GitHub releases page](https://githu
 
 ## Installation
 
-Some operating systems already provide binaries for Alacritty, for everyone else the instructions
+Some operating systems already provide binaries for Alacritty, for everyone
-to build Alacritty from source can be found [here](INSTALL.md).
+else the instructions to build Alacritty from source can be found [here](INSTALL.md).
 
 ### Arch Linux
 
@@ -108,9 +111,9 @@ scoop install alacritty
 Prebuilt binaries for Linux, macOS, and Windows can be downloaded from the
 [GitHub releases page](https://github.com/jwilm/alacritty/releases).
 
-To work properly on Windows, Alacritty requires winpty to emulate UNIX's PTY API.
+To work properly on Windows, Alacritty requires winpty to emulate UNIX's PTY
-The agent is a single binary (`winpty-agent.exe`) which **must** be in the same
+API. The agent is a single binary (`winpty-agent.exe`) which **must** be in
-directory as the Alacritty executable and is available through the
+the same directory as the Alacritty executable and is available through the
 [GitHub releases page](https://github.com/jwilm/alacritty/releases).
 
 ## Configuration
@@ -131,9 +134,8 @@ run. On most systems this often defaults to
 `$HOME/.config/alacritty/alacritty.yml`.
 
 Many configuration options will take effect immediately upon saving changes to
-the config file. The only exception is the `font` and `dimensions` sections
+the config file. For more information about the config file structure, refer to
-which requires Alacritty to be restarted. For further explanation of the config
+the default config file.
-file, please consult the comments in the default config file.
 
 ### Windows
 
@@ -144,18 +146,29 @@ On Windows the config file is located at:
 ## Issues (known, unknown, feature requests, etc.)
 
 If you run into a problem with Alacritty, please file an issue. If you've got a
-feature request, feel free to ask about it. Keep in mind that Alacritty is very
+feature request, feel free to ask about it. Please just keep in mind Alacritty
-much not looking to be a feature-rich terminal emulator with all sorts of bells
+is focused on simplicity and performance, and not all features are in line with
-and widgets. It's primarily a cross-platform, blazing fast `tmux` renderer that
+that goal.
-Just Works.
+
+Before opening a new issue, please check if it has already been reported.
+There's a chance someone else has already reported it, and you can subscribe to
+that issue to keep up on the latest developments.
 
 ## FAQ
 
 **_Is it really the fastest terminal emulator?_**
 
-In the terminals I've benchmarked against, Alacritty is either faster, WAY
+In the terminals we've [benchmarked](http://github.com/jwilm/vtebench),
-faster, or at least neutral. There are no benchmarks in which I've found
+Alacritty is either faster or **way** faster than the others. If you've found a
-Alacritty to be slower.
+case where this isn't true, please report a bug.
+
+**_Why isn't feature X implemented?_**
+
+Alacritty has many great features, but not every feature from every other
+terminal. This could be for a number of reasons, but sometimes it's just not a
+good fit for Alacritty. This means you won't find things like tabs or splits
+(which are best left to a window manager or [terminal multiplexer][tmux]) nor
+niceties like a GUI config editor.
 
 **_macOS + tmux + vim is slow! I thought this was supposed to be fast!_**
 
@@ -178,11 +191,11 @@ Alacritty discussion can be found in `#alacritty` on freenode.
 ## Wayland
 
 Wayland support is available, but not everything works as expected. Many people
-have found a better experience using XWayland which can be achieved launching
+have found a better experience using XWayland which can be achieved by
-Alacritty with the `WAYLAND_DISPLAY` environment variable cleared:
+launching Alacritty with the `WAYLAND_DISPLAY` environment variable cleared:
 
 ```sh
-env WAYLAND_DISPLAY= alacritty
+env WAYLAND_DISPLAY="" alacritty
 ```
 
 If you're interested in seeing our Wayland support improve, please head over to

alacritty.man

@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ alacritty \- a cross-platform, gpu-accelerated terminal emulator
 .SH "SYNOPSIS"
 alacritty [FLAGS] [OPTIONS]
 .SH DESCRIPTION
-Alacritty is focused on simplicity and performance.
+Alacritty is a terminal emulator with a strong focus on simplicity and
-.TP
+performance. With such a strong focus on performance, included features are
-The performance goal means it should be faster than any other terminal emulator available.
+carefully considered and you can always expect Alacritty to be blazingly fast.
-.TP
+By making sane choices for defaults, Alacritty requires no additional setup.
-The simplicity goal means that it doesn't have features such as tabs or splits (which can be better provided by a window manager or terminal multiplexer) nor niceties like a GUI config editor.
+However, it does allow configuration of many aspects of the terminal.
 .SH "FLAGS"
 .TP
 \fB\-h\fR, \fB\-\-help\fR

snap/snapcraft.yaml

@@ -2,19 +2,16 @@ name: alacritty
 version: '0.2.9' # just for humans, typically '1.2+git' or '1.3.2'
 summary: Modern, GPU accelerated terminal emulator
 description: |
-  Alacritty is the fastest terminal emulator in existence. Using the GPU
+  Alacritty is a terminal emulator with a strong focus on simplicity and
-  for rendering enables optimizations that simply aren't possible in
+  performance. With such a strong focus on performance, included features are
-  other emulators.
+  carefully considered and you can always expect Alacritty to be blazingly fast.
+  By making sane choices for defaults, Alacritty requires no additional setup.
+  However, it does allow [configuration](#configuration) of many aspects of the
+  terminal.
 
-  Alacritty is focused on simplicity and performance. The performance
+  The software is considered to be at a **beta** level of readiness -- there are
-  goal means it should be faster than any other terminal emulator
+  a few missing features and bugs to be fixed, but it is already used by many as
-  available. The simplicity goal means that it doesn't have features
+  a daily driver.
-  such as tabs or splits (which can be better provided by a window
-  manager or terminal multiplexer) nor niceties like a GUI config editor.
-
-  The software is considered to be at an alpha level of readiness—there
-  are missing features and bugs to be fixed, but it is already used by
-  many as a daily driver.
 grade: stable
 confinement: classic
 parts: