user-load-path (was: Re: Emacs 21 NEWS file (was Re: [OT?] Gnu Emacs is dying?)(fwd))

[Per Abrahamsen]

[ FUT: gnu.emacs.bug ]

Kai.Grossjohann@CS.Uni-Dortmund.DE (Kai Großjohann) writes:

> On 18 Jun 2001, Per Abrahamsen wrote:
> 
>> "Mark A. Flacy" <flacy@nortelnetworks.com> writes:
>> 
>>> It would be very nice to allow for a user-settable component to the
>>> load path that *could* be customized.
>> 
>> Yes, a "user-load-path" (default nil) that would be searched before
>> "load-path". 
> 
> Is it better to do it like this or is it better to use load-path and
> system-load-path rather than user-load-path and load-path?

If we were starting from scratch, I can't see any strong advantages in
one over the other.

However, customize wants to "own" the variables it touches.  It is not
big on sharing.  I.e. no other Lisp code should change the variable
reserved for customize.  This includes calls to 'add-to-list' in
various init files.

Since there already exist code that use 'add-to-list' on 'load-path',
I think a new (nil) 'user-load-path' would cause least transition
trouble. 

Of course, all code that _reads_ 'load-path' will need to be
inspected, and likely changed.  Luckily, most user code only write the
variable.