Qs on key-description, substitute-command-keys

[Drew Adams]

Why was the output from `key-description' and `substitute-command-keys'
changed to use angle brackets around simple key sequences like S-tab?

I have, for instance, a help string that looks like this when displayed:
(S-tab or TAB: list, C-h: help). I mean, that's what it looks like in Emacs
20 - in Emacs 22, the first key sequence is shown as <S-tab>, while the
others remain simple, without angle brackets.

I'm sure there are good reasons why this was changed, but I'm curious why.

Is there another standard function I can call, perhaps in combination with
`substitute-command-keys', to get the simpler representation, S-tab, from
the less readable <S-tab>? Or should I just roll my own?

Also, is there a good way to control which of several key bindings for a
command is output by `substitute-command-keys'? The only way I've found is
to make sure that the one I want is the last of the key sequences for that
command defined in the map - and that's not always feasible. I found nothing
in the manual about which binding is displayed or how to control that.