Re: [Emacs-diffs] /srv/bzr/emacs/trunk r99650: Put scroll-bar on right by default on UNIX.

[David Kastrup]

Chong Yidong <address@hidden> writes:

> James Cloos <address@hidden> writes:
>
>> C> Put scroll-bar on right by default on UNIX.
>>
>> Ewww.  Why, if may I ask?
>>
>> Way over on the right makes the scrollbar essentially useless (except,
>> of course, for putative buffers which are (will be) primarily r2l
>> and those times when the frame is split horizontally).
>>
>> It really needs to be near the action, and on landscape displays the
>> frames are typically wider than (most of) the text.
>
> I'm familiar with the advantages, but this battle was fought long ago.

Emacs is not occupied territory.  Where it makes no sense, following the
herd is not necessary.

> Every graphical user interface created in the last X years puts the
> scroll bar on the right.

Emacs is not a graphical display application, but an input text oriented
system.  JFTR, xterm has its scrollbar on the _left_.

> Try naming one other application on a modern GNU/Linux desktop that
> does the opposite by default---they don't exist.

xterm

> Beyond a certain point, conflicting with users' expectations does more
> harm than good.

Emacs has never had any qualms about conflicting with expectations where
this makes better sense.

-- 
David Kastrup