Re: Qs on free variable occurrences

[Richard Stallman]

            4. Byte-compiling the file gives no warning of the variable
               being used as a free variable (in #3 and #4).

            This is not a criticism, but a couple of questions.

            a. Why #4? Is it because the byte-compiler cannot detect these
               as free occurrences of the variable or is it intentional
               (TRT)? If the latter, what's the rationale?

It is because the variable has a definition elsewhere.
(In the C code.)

I will add a comment to say so.

            b. Is this coding style considered good or bad? In particular,
               should `minibuffer-history-position' be declared a global
               variable by giving it a defvar?

If it weren't used in the C code, that's what we'd do.