Re: bootstrap from scratch

[Richard Stallman]

    As the comment says, it's necessary for backwards compatibility, and I
    wasn't particularly happy about having to do it.

Backwards compatibility is not sufficient reason for this.

    Loading appt.el used to activate the appointment package (in a
    convoluted way, I think; can't remember the details now). When I
    changed it so it did not, I had an email from someone saying he had
    missed a bunch of appointments.

He will just have to change his init file.  Please take this out now.