1 files changed, 40 insertions, 10 deletions
diff --git a/lispref/os.texi b/lispref/os.texi
index b3764422dff..f9b6595f71c 100644
--- a/lispref/os.texi
+++ b/lispref/os.texi
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ pertaining to the terminal and the screen.
 * Getting Out::         How exiting works (permanent or temporary).
 * System Environment::  Distinguish the name and kind of system.
 * User Identification:: Finding the name and user id of the user.
+* Reading a Password::  Reading a password from the terminal.
 * Time of Day::		Getting the current time.
 * Time Conversion::     Converting a time from numeric form to a string, or
                           to calendrical data (or vice versa).
@@ -195,6 +196,7 @@ loading of this file with the option @samp{-no-site-file}.
 @defvar site-run-file
 This variable specifies the site-customization file to load
 before the user's init file.  Its normal value is @code{"site-start"}.
+(The only way to change it with real effect is before dumping Emacs.)
 @end defvar
 
   If there is a great deal of code in your @file{.emacs} file, you
@@ -214,12 +216,13 @@ then the default library is not loaded.  The default value is
 @end defopt
 
 @defvar before-init-hook
-This normal hook is run, once, just before loading of all the init files
+This normal hook is run, once, just before loading all the init files
 (the user's init file, @file{default.el}, and/or @file{site-start.el}).
+(The only way to change it with real effect is before dumping Emacs.)
 @end defvar
 
 @defvar after-init-hook
-This normal hook is run, once, just after loading of all the init files
+This normal hook is run, once, just after loading all the init files
 (the user's init file, @file{default.el}, and/or @file{site-start.el}),
 before the terminal-specific initialization.
 @end defvar
@@ -568,6 +571,9 @@ The value of this variable is a symbol indicating the type of operating
 system Emacs is operating on.  Here is a table of the possible values:
 
 @table @code
+@item alpha-vms
+VMS on the Alpha.
+
 @item aix-v3
 AIX.
 
@@ -727,13 +733,13 @@ containing the Emacs executable.
 @end defvar
 
 @defun load-average &optional use-float
-This function returns the current 1-minute, 5-minute and 15-minute load
-averages in a list.
+This function returns the current 1-minute, 5-minute, and 15-minute load
+averages, in a list.
 
 By default, the values are integers that are 100 times the system load
 averages, which indicate the average number of processes trying to run.
 If @var{use-float} is non-@code{nil}, then they are returned
-as floating point numbers instead.
+as floating point numbers and without multiplying by 100.
 
 @example
 @group
@@ -864,6 +870,29 @@ This function returns the real @sc{uid} of the user.
 This function returns the effective @sc{uid} of the user.  
 @end defun
 
+@node Reading a Password
+@section Reading a Password
+@cindex passwords, reading
+
+  To read a password to pass to another program, you can use the
+function @code{read-passwd}.
+
+@tindex read-passwd
+@defun read-passwd prompt &optional confirm default
+This function reads a password, prompting with @var{prompt}.  It does
+not echo the password as the user types it; instead, it echoes @samp{.}
+for each character in the password.
+
+The optional argument @var{confirm}, if non-@code{nil}, says to read the
+password twice and insist it must be the same both times.  If it isn't
+the same, the user has to type it over and over until the last two
+times match.
+
+The optional argument @var{default} specifies the default password to
+return if the user enters empty input.  If @var{default} is @code{nil},
+then @code{read-passwd} returns the null string in that case.
+@end defun
+
 @node Time of Day
 @section Time of Day
 
@@ -1129,7 +1158,7 @@ after a certain length of idleness.
   Emacs cannot run timers at any arbitrary point in a Lisp program; it
 can run them only when Emacs could accept output from a subprocess:
 namely, while waiting or inside certain primitive functions such as
-@code{sit-for} or @code{read-char} which @emph{can} wait.  Therefore, a
+@code{sit-for} or @code{read-event} which @emph{can} wait.  Therefore, a
 timer's execution may be delayed if Emacs is busy.  However, the time of
 execution is very precise if Emacs is idle.
 
@@ -1139,8 +1168,9 @@ at time @var{time}.  The argument @var{function} is a function to call
 later, and @var{args} are the arguments to give it when it is called.
 The time @var{time} is specified as a string.
 
-Absolute times may be specified in a wide variety of formats, and tries
-to accept all common date formats.  Valid formats include these two,
+Absolute times may be specified in a wide variety of formats; this
+function tries to accept all the commonly used date formats.  Valid
+formats include these two,
 
 @example
 @var{year}-@var{month}-@var{day} @var{hour}:@var{min}:@var{sec} @var{timezone}
@@ -1664,7 +1694,7 @@ It is not crucial to exclude from the alist the keysyms of other X
 servers; those do no harm, as long as they don't conflict with the ones
 used by the X server actually in use.
 
-The variable is always local to the current X terminal and cannot be
+The variable is always local to the current terminal, and cannot be
 buffer-local.  @xref{Multiple Displays}.
 @end defvar
 
@@ -1684,7 +1714,7 @@ entries and DEC terminal concentrators, see @file{emacs/etc/TERMS}.
 @code{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} for flow control.  Therefore, the choice of
 @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} as command characters for searching and quoting
 was natural and uncontroversial.  With so many commands needing key
-assignments. of course we assigned meanings to nearly all @sc{ASCII}
+assignments, of course we assigned meanings to nearly all @sc{ASCII}
 control characters.
 
   Later, some terminals were introduced which required these characters