Re: Change Tramp syntax

[John Wiegley]

>>>>> "EZ" == Eli Zaretskii <address@hidden> writes:

EZ> I didn't use ange-ftp syntax in a decade. Not sure what others do, but my
EZ> impression is that Tramp methods are the only game in town.

I use the ange-ftp syntax multiple times a day, for years now.  It's how I
edit files on remote hosts.

Changing from "/host:file" to "/-:host:file" seems like an unnecessary change
in syntax -- when the first form is so easy to use -- but only because I don't
understand the difficulties it causes. However, I imagine many users, who like
me are long-familiar with the first form, will wonder why we had to move to a
more complex syntax *when the first one has been working for years and years*.

How are people using the new Tramp to learn that "/-:" is replaced by "/"?
Will "/host:file" just be broken for them, and they have to understand both
(1) that it's a Tramp-related issue, and (2) how to find the answer in the
Tramp manual or NEWS file?

If there are more people like me out there, relying on this syntax as heavily,
I have a sense this is going to feel like a concession that does not benefit
the user. Unless I'm mistaken, the user gains nothing from the change, but now
has to remember to add "-:" to path names long since burned into finger
memory.

- Is there *any way* to retain ange-ftp syntax, maybe even as a hack that
  rewrites /foo:bar into /-:foo:bar, and can be required from a compat module?

- What is the user experience when ange-ftp paths are used, after this change
  is made?

Thanks,
-- 
John Wiegley                  GPG fingerprint = 4710 CF98 AF9B 327B B80F
http://newartisans.com                          60E1 46C4 BD1A 7AC1 4BA2

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