RE: quit-window is broken

[Drew Adams]

> > C-x C-f is guided by an option - 
> `find-file-confirm-nonexistent-file'.
> 
> Right.  I think this customization variable is an instance of 
> "Emacs at its worst", so I'd be happy to throw it away.

I disagree. Emacs development at its worst would be to change the behavior of
basic things such as `C-x C-f' from lax completion to "confirmed" completion
without providing users an option to get back the (superior, IMO) original
behavior.

It's OK to decide, after discussion, that the completion behavior for some new
function should be confirmed, not lax or strict. And it's OK to decide, for some
existing function, that confirmed should be offered as an alternative to the
traditional behavior (whether lax or strict).

For a given function, it can happen that there is no need to allow users a
choice of completion behaviors - that is probably usually the case. But that is
not the case when the behavior is to be changed for a long-existing command,
such as `find-file'. In such cases, please keep the traditional behavior as the
default behavior, and let users decide. Or change the default if that's better,
but give users the choice.

> PS: Or we could also add a gzillion foo-confirm-nonexistent-bar
> variables for all the places where such a confirmation feature would
> come in handy and some user gets annoyed because she 
> occasionally needs to press RET twice rather than once.

Please don't exaggerate. In general, Emacs designers can just pick the most
appropriate confirmation behavior for a new function and be done with it - no
need to let users choose; no option needed.

But that might not apply to a few new functions where there would be some value
in giving users a choice (I have none in mind - perhaps there are none). And it
generally does not apply to existing functions that affect traditional behavior.
Again, "generally" - such cases should be examined case by case.