Re: address me personally

[Alan Mackenzie]

Dan Jacobson <jidanni@deadspam.com> wrote on 02 Feb 2002 03:37:14 +0800:
> [The following is not an intelligent message.]

:-)

> Fellas, aren't we tired of that cold emacs that even though we call it
> by its name for almost 20 years, it hardly knows our name.

My bicycle doesn't know my name, neither does my electric kettle.
Neither of them talks to me, or keeps me company through the long dark
lonely winter hours.  However, both of them function efficiently and
flawlessly when I use them in the correct manner.  A bit like Emacs,
really.  This is a Good Thing.

> Introducing the new variable
> personal-touch-addressing
> if t, when asking in the minbuffer, get our name from the ENV, so as
> to ask more personally, e.g.
> "Charles, shall we save all buffers?"
> if 'sir
> "Sir, shall we save all buffers?"
> if nil
> "save all buffers?"

No, please not!

> also
> personal-touch-formality
> if 'obsequious
> "Sir, shall we save all buffers?"
> if 'hip-pal
> "Dude, save all buffers?"
> if 'abusive
> "save all your goddamn buffers, as if they were worth something?"
> if 'kinky
> "Mmmm, save all buffers? ooooh"
> if nil, use the current cold stuff
> "Save all buffers?"

Even if this is "only" to be an option, please don't do it!

> I mean Microsoft has the talking paper clip... how is emacs to "keep
> up with the times", while retaining the that flat unsmiling
> minibuffer-mouth at the bottom of the screen.

I could have THROTTLED that fine damn paper clip on any number of
occasions, and it has had dreadful effects on my productivity.  Are you
telling me that the thing actually _talks_ as well?  Remind me never to
install a sound card with a Microsoft system.

> http://www.geocities.com/jidanni/ Taiwan(04)25854780

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Munich, Germany)
Email: aacm@muuc.dee; to decode, wherever there is a repeated letter
(like "aa"), remove half of them (leaving, say, "a").