Re: should xterm-mouse-mode be on by default?

[Luc Teirlinck <teirllm@dms.auburn.edu>]

   No, I have never used it.  I normally use Emacs on text consoles, and
   the last thing I want to do is use the mouse.  It is supposed to make
   Emacs handle the mouse in the usual way when running under an xterm,
   right?

To me, the most basic mouse functionality, killing and yanking feels a
lot more "usual" with Xterm Mouse mode _disabled_.

       Anybody who uses Xterm Mouse mode _needs_ to know about the SHIFT
       functionality.  That is, needs to have read either the
       xterm-mouse-mode docstring or `(emacs)XTerm Mouse'.  Otherwise, the
       most basic mouse functionality, killing and yanking, does not work
       anymore (except _inside_ your Emacs session).

   I don't understand why that should be so.  Would you please explain?
   Doesn't Xterm Mouse mode communicate selections to X in the usual way?

No, Andreas already explained why it could not possibly.  In `emacs -nw',
Emacs does not communicate with X.  When running on Emacs on a remote
machine over a slow connection, Emacs communication with X is
_excessively_ slow (that is why one runs the remote Emacs with `emacs -nw'
in the first place).

       The lack of the usual visual feedback (Emacs can not track the mouse,
       even with Xterm Mouse mode enabled), can also be very confusing,
       except to knowledgeable users.

   Why is this worse that with Xterm Mouse mode turned off?

If Xterm Mouse mode is off and you are (for instance) dragging the
mouse, the region selected for copying gets highlighted while you are
dragging.  If Xterm mouse mode is on, the user can not see the region
being selected, there is no highlighting until you release the mouse.
Moreover, point does not get updated fast enough.  So if you click
away from point and start dragging, you have to remember the other
bound of the region (where you first clicked), because you only see it
on release of the mouse.

Sincerely,

Luc.