Deleting old `:version` from defcustoms (was: master b76cdd0: Delete libraries obsolete since 23.1 and 23.2)

Deleting old `:version` from defcustoms (was: master b76cdd0: Delete libraries obsolete since 23.1 and 23.2)

[Stefan Monnier]

>     Delete libraries obsolete since 23.1 and 23.2

Thanks Stefan.

I did a quick `grep` to see the functions/vars that were obsoleted in
the same time frame, and I saw instead a deluge of

    :version "23.1"

If we consider those thingies old enough to remove their obsolete
functions, shouldn't we also remove the corresponding `:version`
thingies from `defcustom`s?

I see:
- 1 defcustom with a :version of 19.29
- >200 defcustoms with a :version of 20.x
- a bit less than 200 defcustoms with a :version of 21.x
- >400 defcustoms with a :version of 22.x
- >200 defcustoms with a :version of 23.x


-- Stefan

Re: Deleting old `:version` from defcustoms (was: master b76cdd0: Delete libraries obsolete since 23.1 and 23.2)

[Stefan Kangas]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

> I did a quick `grep` to see the functions/vars that were obsoleted in
> the same time frame, and I saw instead a deluge of
>
>     :version "23.1"
>
> If we consider those thingies old enough to remove their obsolete
> functions, shouldn't we also remove the corresponding `:version`
> thingies from `defcustom`s?

There are also these two libraries:

./lisp/obsolete/fast-lock.el9:;; Obsolete-since: 22.1
./lisp/obsolete/lazy-lock.el9:;; Obsolete-since: 22.1

For some reason they weren't removed in 27.1, when most other libraries
obsolete since 22.x were deleted.  This made me wonder if there was any
particular reason for their non-removal.  Does anyone know?  And could
we delete them now?

Best regards,
Stefan Kangas

Re: Deleting old `:version` from defcustoms (was: master b76cdd0: Delete libraries obsolete since 23.1 and 23.2)

[Stefan Kangas]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

> I did a quick `grep` to see the functions/vars that were obsoleted in
> the same time frame, and I saw instead a deluge of
>
>     :version "23.1"
>
> If we consider those thingies old enough to remove their obsolete
> functions, shouldn't we also remove the corresponding `:version`
> thingies from `defcustom`s?
>
> I see:
> - 1 defcustom with a :version of 19.29
> - >200 defcustoms with a :version of 20.x
> - a bit less than 200 defcustoms with a :version of 21.x
> - >400 defcustoms with a :version of 22.x
> - >200 defcustoms with a :version of 23.x

I realize I don't fully understand the purpose of the :version
declarations.  If it's mostly to let users know what changed, they can
probably be removed for these very old versions.

But are they also intended to provide a historical record?  If so, maybe
they should be kept indefinitely.

Best regards,
Stefan Kangas

Re: Deleting old `:version` from defcustoms (was: master b76cdd0: Delete libraries obsolete since 23.1 and 23.2)

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas@gmail.com>
> Date: Sat, 16 May 2020 20:18:54 -0700
> 
> I realize I don't fully understand the purpose of the :version
> declarations.  If it's mostly to let users know what changed, they can
> probably be removed for these very old versions.
> 
> But are they also intended to provide a historical record?  If so, maybe
> they should be kept indefinitely.

I think it's good to have a facility that can tell us in which Emacs
version was some option introduced.

RE: Deleting old `:version` from defcustoms (was: master b76cdd0: Delete libraries obsolete since 23.1 and 23.2)

[Drew Adams]

> > But are they also intended to provide a historical record?  If so,
> > maybe they should be kept indefinitely.
> 
> I think it's good to have a facility that can tell us in which Emacs
> version was some option introduced.

+1.
Something more than, say, a comment.
Something you/code can check easily at runtime.