Re: command for creating local variables in files

[Richard Stallman]

    > You are describing a command to set up an entire local variables list.
    > That's not what file-make-local-variable should do.  That command
    > should add or alter ONE variable in the local variables list; only
    > one.  It can read a variable name and the value string in the usual
    > way with the minibuffer.

    It might be nice if it also accepted major-mode as a variable name,
    and minor mode variables, and buffer-file-coding-system and translated
    them into the corresponding sequences.

Those sound like natural extensions of the basic idea.