From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Chong Yidong Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: Re: New start up splash screen annoyance... Date: Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:20:17 -0400 Message-ID: <87sl5n5yem.fsf@stupidchicken.com> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: lo.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Trace: sea.gmane.org 1189376494 19385 80.91.229.12 (9 Sep 2007 22:21:34 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@sea.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2007 22:21:34 +0000 (UTC) Cc: Sascha Wilde , emacs-devel@gnu.org To: rms@gnu.org Original-X-From: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Mon Sep 10 08:21:21 2007 Return-path: Envelope-to: ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([199.232.76.165]) by lo.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.50) id 1IUbj1-0007lG-PE for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Mon, 10 Sep 2007 07:22:20 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1IUUEe-0005Dj-S9 for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:22:28 -0400 Original-Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1IUUEc-0005DW-5X for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:22:26 -0400 Original-Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1IUUEa-0005CZ-O0 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:22:25 -0400 Original-Received: from [199.232.76.173] (helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1IUUEa-0005CS-Ia for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:22:24 -0400 Original-Received: from cyd.mit.edu ([18.115.2.24]) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1IUUEX-0006nc-D8; Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:22:21 -0400 Original-Received: by cyd.mit.edu (Postfix, from userid 1000) id B5C264E379; Sun, 9 Sep 2007 17:20:17 -0400 (EDT) In-Reply-To: (Richard Stallman's message of "Sun\, 09 Sep 2007 16\:07\:02 -0400") User-Agent: Gnus/5.11 (Gnus v5.11) Emacs/22.1.50 (gnu/linux) X-Detected-Kernel: Linux 2.6 (newer, 1) X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: "Emacs development discussions." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Original-Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:78358 Archived-At: Richard Stallman writes: > I would like to have the old behavior back: if a file name was given > on the command line the user definitely wants to edit that file, and > so any editing/movement/redraw command should switch to that files > buffer immediately. > > I changed this because I want beginners to see the splash screen, > and beginners often have the habit of passing a file name. The way Emacs currently handles the splash screen is completely unsatisfactory, because it gives the impression that the splash screen is being displayed *instead of* the file specified by the user (and thus implies that Emacs is unable to process command line arguments.) The way other programs handle this is to (1) display the splash screen in a small, floating X window, (2) provide a check box on the splash screen saying "Display splash screen on startup" or something similar, and (3) a prominent button saying "OK" or similar to dismiss the splash screen. Using a small, floating X window lets the user see that the command line argument was processed correctly, since the main X window is visible behind the splash screen panel. In our case, it may be better to use a pop-to-buffer. Providing a check box makes it easy to dismiss the splash screen, which in my experience almost everyone ends up doing, since a splash screen gets annoying after the first time you see it (and you shouldn't have to read the documentation to find out how to disable it!)