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

[Per Abrahamsen]

d.love@dl.ac.uk (Dave Love) writes:

> I don't think it's acceptable or necessary for a Custom interface to
> require uses of such a variable to be changed, if that's the idea.

Of course it is not necessary, it is just a small matter of
programming to create a more complex and fragile solution.

> There should be a standard method for augmenting customized
> {a,p,}lists.

Please note that the closest to that we have on the Lisp level is:

        (eval-after-load "package"
          (add-to-list 'package-foobar new-element))

A rather complex mechanism for a non programmer.  Doing simple
customizations shouldn't require more Lisp expertise than

        (setq package-foobar some-simple-value)

I therefore believe having user options with complex default values
are a bad idea, even ignoring customize.  Modifying 'TeX-command-list'
which is has a complex default value is what causes most users
problems in AUC TeX.

I much prefer customize being used as an argument to keep user options
simple, than as an excuse to create overly complex user options.