RE: `C-b' is backward-char, `left' is left-char - why?

[Drew Adams]

> > Enabling (or disabling) as an option - is that impossible?
> 
> Certainly not.  You can set the option like so:
> (global-set-key (kbd "<left>") 'backward-char)

Not at all what I meant, as you no doubt know.

> This discussion would be more productive if you brought in an example
> of a bug caused by this issue.

No one mentioned a bug, or even an "issue".

I mentioned `substitute-key-definition' and command remapping as a use case.

I did not say that this is a big deal.  I said I was curious why we need to now
change these longstanding default key bindings.  That's all.  Still no answer,
but if no one else cares then it's OK that I not understand.