[RFC] Micro-Init files in GNU ELPA & Survey suggestions(Re: Finding packages to enable by default)

[Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com>]

In your list, `desktop' is conscpicous by it's absence.  

Tom <adatgyujto@gmail.com> writes:

> if more data is collected.

The third suggestion down below will obsolete the need for collecting
data.  Maintainers don't have to pull the common customization, the
users themselves will start pushing common customizations here.

A robust and ready-usable "Init file" is what every new user of Emacs
will love to get over with.

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Org-mode customization survey:
============================

Carsten or Bastien will have more information on this.

    http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-orgmode/2013-10/msg00858.html

If I understand correctly, the idea is to enumerate 40 or 50 variables
that tops the charts and offer it as "recommended set" for
customization.   

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Use Emacswiki
=============

The best method will be to create an Emacs Wiki page, where each user
upvotes a feature [1].  Initially entry, based on my own .emacs will be
something like

| column-number-mode       | 1 |
| desktop-save-mode        | 1 |
| electric-indent-mode     | 1 |
| electric-pair-mode       | 1 |
| global-goto-address-mode | 1 |
| global-hi-lock-mode      | 1 |
| gnus-dired-mode          | 1 |
| icomplete-mode           | 1 |
| ido-mode                 | 1 |
| savehist-mode            | 1 |
| show-paren-mode          | 1 |
| url-handler-mode         | 1 |
| which-function-mode      | 1 |
| whitespace-global-modes  | 1 |

I will also add dired-x, dired-hide-details to that list.

The Survey page can have the above table, while the Comments_On_Survey
page can contain any additional comments that the user wants to add.


[1] My IP address which typically starts with 115.*.*.*.* is censored
    Drew if you are reading this, it is a bad idea to have long-living
    spam filter that block SO MANY ip addresses.  Consider unblocking
    that IP address.  (I have never spammed emacwiki, btw.)

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Micro-Init files in Use GNU ELPA
================================

I think GNU ELPA is a nice place to create "sharable init files".  The
init file is not a monolith, but focuses on a particular usecase.

Once such a file is introduced, these files themselves will have a life
of their own.  They become a "clearing house for common configuration"
for a particular use-case.  These files can also serve as bickering
points for evolving a consensus what goes in what value it takes.

Emacs maintainers can also have a clear idea on usage patterns and the
most common configurations.

I have proposed my idea here:
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/help-gnu-emacs/2013-11/msg00432.html

Some examples are:

0. basic.el

   Set up user-full-name and user-mail-address.

   (custom-set-variables
    '(user-mail-address "kjambunathan@gmail.com"))

1. indian-holidays.el  (Upgraded every year)

    (custom-set-variables
     '(calendar-date-style (quote european))
     '(calendar-holidays
       (quote
        ((holiday-fixed 1 1 "New Year's Day")
         (holiday-fixed 1 26 "Republic Day")
         (holiday-fixed 8 15 "Independence Day")
         (holiday-fixed 10 2 "Gandhi Jayanthi")
         (holiday-fixed 12 25 "Christmas")
         (indian-holidays)))))

    (defun indian-holidays ()
      '(((1 14 2013) "Pongal")

        ((11 2 2013) "Deepavali")
        ((11 14 2013) "Muharram")))

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2. gmane.el

   Add news.gmane.org and automatically subscribe the user to the
   mailing lists.

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3. gmail.el (depends on basic.el)

   Set up the smtp and imap or pop server. 

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