RE: can't set both mode-line color and default frame font?

[Drew Adams]

> >> I meant that if Lisp does choose -to- customize, that should
> >> take precedence because it is a choice (there's your reason).
>
> > And setting a face preference via an X resource is _not_ choosing?
>
> > I still don't see an argument (a reason) that applies only to
> `custom-file'
> > and not to X resources. Flip it around, and it makes just as much sense
> > (little).
>
> You're right.  Which implies that there's no absolutely always 100%
> superior solution.  So we can choose between the two based on other
> considerations.

Just what I was getting at: what those considerations might be.

> E.g. the fact that Custom settings are only ever
> set by the user for Emacs, whereas X resources may just as well be
> set by some global application such as Gnome and may apply to many
> more applications than just
> Emacs, so they're *in general* less specific.

That sounds like a good reason to me - give precedence to what we are pretty
sure are individual user preferences over what might not be.