Re: Patch to remove minor modes in tutorial

[Kim F. Storm]

Richard Stallman <address@hidden> writes:

>     A minor mode that doesn't have an entry in minor-mode-map-alist has
>     no keybindings (assuming it is not autoloaded -- but if it has not
>     been loaded yet, it's definitely not turned on and has no effect).
>
> It is conceivable that a minor mode has other effects that would interfere
> with the tutorial.  For instance Abbrev mode.
>
> At the same time, it is possible that a minor mode alters only keys
> that the tutorial does not talk about, in which case it does not
> interfere with the tutorial.

In general, there is a problem with the tutorial and minor-modes:

Suppose you get a .emacs from someone, which changes some key bindings.

Then you run the tutorial with those minor modes enabled.  This may
cause the examples/instructions in the tutorial to fail in mysterious
ways.  That's no good.


Now, suppose you run the tutorial with the minor modes temporarily
disabled.  The tutorial will work just fine, and you will learn the
basic commands etc.  But when you exit the tutorial, the minor modes
are back -- and the stuff that worked in the tutorial no longer works
the way the tutorial taught you...   That's no good either!


Maybe it be better to simply issue a warning at the start of the
tutorial if "affecting" minor modes are enabled -- something like
this:

  NOTE:  This instance of Emacs has local customizations which may
  cause some instructions in the tutorial to fail.  If that happens,
  review the local customizations in the file ~/.emacs.

-- 
Kim F. Storm <address@hidden> http://www.cua.dk