Re: How global is a define-global-minor-mode mode?

[Richard Stallman]

>     Isn't it the case that it works if the minor mode function
>     corresponding to the variable is autoloaded?  Otherwise, IIRC you need
>     to add a :require to the definition of the minor mode.

    Not really: if the global minor mode is autoloaded, then :require is
    a nuisance,

I don't follow.  Could you explain why it is a nuisance?
And how does this relate to the question of whether the globalized
mode is autoloaded?

                so to do it automatically, define-global-minor-mode would have
    to know whether it's autoloaded or not.  And in most/all cases it's
    autoloaded anyway and if not, it should.

Are you proposing that every use of define-global-minor-mode should
have an autoload cookie?