From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: main.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Alan Mackenzie Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.bugs Subject: Re: user has no business toggling overwrite-mode in read-only buffers Date: 20 Apr 2003 18:57:41 +0200 Organization: muc.de e.V. -- private internet access Sender: bug-gnu-emacs-bounces+gnu-bug-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: main.gmane.org X-Trace: main.gmane.org 1050857980 18853 80.91.224.249 (20 Apr 2003 16:59:40 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@main.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2003 16:59:40 +0000 (UTC) Original-X-From: bug-gnu-emacs-bounces+gnu-bug-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sun Apr 20 18:59:38 2003 Return-path: Original-Received: from monty-python.gnu.org ([199.232.76.173]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1 (Debian)) id 197IAE-0004tx-00 for ; Sun, 20 Apr 2003 18:59:38 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.10.13) id 197IB2-0007yQ-03 for gnu-bug-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Sun, 20 Apr 2003 13:00:29 -0400 Original-Received: from list by monty-python.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.10.13) id 197IAl-0007vP-00 for bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Sun, 20 Apr 2003 13:00:11 -0400 Original-Received: from mail by monty-python.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.10.13) id 197IAc-0007Xx-00 for bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Sun, 20 Apr 2003 13:00:08 -0400 Original-Received: from fencepost.gnu.org ([199.232.76.164]) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.10.13) id 197IAc-0007XX-00 for bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Sun, 20 Apr 2003 13:00:02 -0400 Original-Received: from monty-python.gnu.org ([199.232.76.173]) by fencepost.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.10) id 197IAc-0007iC-00 for gnu-emacs-bug@prep.ai.mit.edu; Sun, 20 Apr 2003 13:00:02 -0400 Original-Received: from mail by monty-python.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.10.13) id 197IAT-0007Bv-00 for gnu-emacs-bug@prep.ai.mit.edu; Sun, 20 Apr 2003 12:59:59 -0400 Original-Received: from marvin.muc.de ([193.149.48.2]) by monty-python.gnu.org with smtp (Exim 4.10.13) id 197IAS-0006y9-00 for gnu-emacs-bug@prep.ai.mit.edu; Sun, 20 Apr 2003 12:59:52 -0400 Original-Received: (qmail 97842 invoked by uid 8); 20 Apr 2003 16:57:41 -0000 Original-To: gnu-emacs-bug@prep.ai.mit.edu Original-Path: not-for-mail Original-Newsgroups: gnu.emacs.bug Original-Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2003 10:50:50 +0000 Original-Lines: 35 Original-NNTP-Posting-Host: acm.muc.de Original-X-Trace: marvin.muc.de 1050857861 97838 193.149.49.134 (20 Apr 2003 16:57:41 GMT) Original-X-Complaints-To: news-admin@muc.de Original-NNTP-Posting-Date: 20 Apr 2003 16:57:41 GMT User-Agent: tin/1.4.5-20010409 ("One More Nightmare") (UNIX) (Linux/2.0.35 (i686)) X-BeenThere: bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1b5 Precedence: list List-Id: Bug reports for GNU Emacs, the Swiss army knife of text editors List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Archive: List-Unsubscribe: , Errors-To: bug-gnu-emacs-bounces+gnu-bug-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: main.gmane.org gmane.emacs.bugs:4844 X-Report-Spam: http://spam.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.bugs:4844 Dan Jacobson wrote on Sun, 20 Apr 2003 03:47:01 +0800: > In a new crackdown on excessive freedoms, prime minister Moi > recommends toggling overwrite-mode be outlawed in read-only buffers. > In an interview, he was quoted as saying "It just doesn't make sense. > Why should we allow kids to toggle it back and fourth if they can't > possibly use it? They might get the wrong impression, that they can > write stuff! Only later will they find out the real deal." Oh, come on, fascist Dan! There are lots of good reasons (well, at least two plausible ones) for wanting to change a ROB: 1. You have a source-file which is RO due to some version control system, but you want to make a private (changed) copy on your own hard disk. You C-x C-q it, make the changes, then store it where you want with C-x C-w. 2. Something (something like dired, perhaps?), makes a listing of files in a buffer, but leaves the buffer RO because "the user has no reason to edit it". Problem is, all the filenames start off like this: /versioncontrolroot/foobar/implementation/software/source/integration/inc at which point they disappear of the right hand edge of the window. [Don't laugh. My contract working on such a project has just expired. It wasn't fun.] Few things make me more angry than having continually to scroll the screen sideways. When such a directory listing is inflicted upon me, I first do a little sweet effing and blinding, then make the buffer writeable. Then I edit each line, replacing the above prolix garbage with "...", or whatever. Then I can read this buffer. Please don't make my life any harder. -- Alan Mackenzie (Munich, Germany) Email: aacm@muuc.dee; to decode, wherever there is a repeated letter (like "aa"), remove half of them (leaving, say, "a").