Re: Confused by y-or-n-p

[Gregory Heytings]

> > I haven't seen a single argument in that thread to remove the current 
> > behavior.  I've only seen an argument that you (and only you AFAICS) 
> > don't like it.
>
> I suggest you reread that thread, long though it is, with some care. 
> There were strong arguments expressed there, for improving the then 
> current behaviour.

There are arguments to _improve_ the current behavior, that is, to provide 
other behaviors, and I agree with these arguments.  But there are no 
arguments to _remove_ the current behavior, which should either remain the 
default or be available by setting a variable.

> Forgive me if I become uncustomarily blunt and personal, but it seems 
> you are determined to find the worst possible interpretation of 
> everything, and your replies to so many posts take on an unusually 
> negative tone.

That was not at all my intention, I'm sorry if you have perceived it as 
such.

> Would you please try to be more positive in your posts, and try to work 
> together with people to achieve goals, rather than antagonising them. 
> Thanks!

I believe that's what I did, I initially pointed you the difference 
between the use of the echo area and the minibuffer inside isearch, I gave 
you a number of possible improved behaviors, and I already spend quite 
some time testing your patch and providing you with feedback.  I don't 
think this can be considered as an "antagonising" behavior.

> I don't really want to get drawn here into detailled discussion which 
> really belongs on that other thread, but would point out that that 
> "longstanding behaviour" which you seem so attached to appears to be an 
> ad hoc unsystematic mess resulting from a lack of systematic attention.
> [...]
> The old "behaviour" seems to be an ad hoc unsystematic mess, not worthy 
> even of being called a behaviour.

These are very strong statements.  I understand that this is what it seems 
to you, and I would even say that to a certain extent I agree with you, 
but again, you don't know whether others rely on what you consider to be a 
mess in their libraries or configurations.

> > But the problem is that I am now, and everybody else is now, in a 
> > situation where we have to spend a lot of time testing various 
> > combinations of commands and to describe what doesn't work anymore, 
> > which inevitably leads to very long and boring mails and discussions.
>
> How is that a problem?  Nobody is forcing you into such discussions. 
> At the cutting edge of development, there are bound to be new things, 
> there are bound to be old things let go, and there are bound to be 
> controversies.  That is the very essence of development.  People are 
> grateful for the feedback you give, but nobody is forcing you into doing 
> anything.

I don't feel forced to do anything.  I was only pointing the fact that 
those who object the removal of a behavior are in a position that their 
feedback will look like bikeshedding.  This would not happen if the old 
behavior remained available; the discussion would then be more 
constructive, around the question "what is the best default behavior".