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From: Gregory Heytings via "Emacs development discussions." <emacs-devel@gnu.org>
To: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas@gmail.com>
Cc: rms@gnu.org, juri@linkov.net, rudalics@gmx.at,
	Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>,
	Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>,
	emacs-devel@gnu.org
Subject: Re: Confused by y-or-n-p
Date: Wed, 06 Jan 2021 23:57:02 +0000	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <alpine.NEB.2.22.394.2101062149260453.9819@sdf.lonestar.org> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <CADwFkmknLkMN6fRAZH4kWb3ehT2K3+muuLvKXO2py+RpQdVOAg@mail.gmail.com>


>
> Otherwise, you would have proposed a guideline.  Which would be a fine 
> proposal, and AFAICT equivalent to what we have already.
>

Perhaps I did not look at the right place, but I do not see such a rule or 
guideline in CONTRIBUTE or elsewhere.  What do you (and others) think of 
the following:

Any change that matters to end-users should have an entry in etc/NEWS. 
*In principle, any such change should, unless it is an added feature, 
either require setting a variable to be enabled, or be reversible by 
setting a variable.* Try to start each NEWS entry with a sentence that 
summarizes the entry and takes just one line -- this will allow to read 
NEWS in Outline mode after hiding the body of each entry.

>> ... developers start working on something thinking that scratching the 
>> current state of affairs to create something they believe is better 
>> without thinking about backwards compatibility ...
>
> Do you have any evidence to back up the claim that this has happened?
>

It happened with y-or-n-p; it would not have happened with the above 
guideline.  It is happening in the "Stop frames stealing each other's 
minibuffers" thread, where it is not clear that the behavior that is being 
changed should remain available as is, next to other behaviors.  Again 
this would not have happened with the above guideline.

>> By the way, the feedback in this case came from Richard, who wanted the 
>> old behavior back, and he got it back in a few days.  I'm curious 
>> whether this would have happened if the feedback had been sent by a 
>> random user.
>
> Of course Richard's word has more weight than that of "a random user". 
> This is expected in any project.  (Guido in Python, Larry Wall in Perl, 
> Linus in Linux, etc.)
>
> But in general, backwards compatibility complaints are taken seriously 
> no matter the sender.  In fact, this project sometimes goes to extreme 
> lengths simply to maintain backwards-compatibility even in the most 
> minor and inconsequential cases.
>

Of course I understand and expected that Richard's word has more weight. 
My fear was that if the same request had been made by someone else it 
would have been dismissed; I'm glad to read that this wouldn't have 
happened.



  parent reply	other threads:[~2021-01-06 23:57 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 210+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2020-12-23 15:24 Confused by y-or-n-p Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-23 16:45 ` Stefan Monnier
2020-12-23 17:04   ` Jean Louis
2020-12-23 17:35   ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-23 18:11     ` Stefan Monnier
2020-12-23 18:44       ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-25  4:29         ` Richard Stallman
2020-12-23 19:48 ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2020-12-23 19:53 ` Karl Fogel
2020-12-23 20:27   ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-24 18:26     ` Karl Fogel
2020-12-24  5:56   ` Richard Stallman
2020-12-24  5:53 ` Richard Stallman
2020-12-24  6:06   ` David Masterson
2020-12-24 16:49   ` João Távora
2020-12-24 15:38 ` martin rudalics
2020-12-24 20:47   ` Juri Linkov
2020-12-25  7:23     ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-25  9:07       ` martin rudalics
2020-12-25 11:32         ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-25 13:20           ` martin rudalics
2020-12-26 10:24             ` Richard Stallman
2020-12-26 11:01               ` Jean Louis
2020-12-26 13:41               ` martin rudalics
2020-12-27 16:25                 ` Juri Linkov
2020-12-27 17:16                   ` martin rudalics
2020-12-28  8:48                     ` Juri Linkov
2020-12-27 18:06                   ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-28  8:52                     ` Juri Linkov
2020-12-28  9:36                       ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-28 17:06                         ` Juri Linkov
2020-12-28 17:28                           ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-30  9:54                             ` Juri Linkov
2021-01-02  5:25                               ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-02 13:36                                 ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-02  5:25                               ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-02  5:25                               ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-02  7:06                                 ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-02  7:22                                   ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2021-01-02 17:06                                     ` Drew Adams
2021-01-02 17:14                                       ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-03  6:06                                       ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-03 15:16                                         ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-04  5:16                                           ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-04  6:10                                             ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-04  7:54                                               ` Stefan Kangas
2021-01-04  9:21                                                 ` martin rudalics
2021-01-04  9:24                                                   ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2021-01-04  9:55                                                     ` martin rudalics
2021-01-04 11:28                                                       ` Andrea Corallo via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-04 14:58                                                       ` Dmitry Gutov
2021-01-04 15:09                                                 ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-04 15:17                                                   ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2021-01-04 16:10                                                     ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-05  8:16                                                       ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2021-01-05 15:03                                                         ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06  5:01                                                       ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-06 15:19                                                         ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-04 17:17                                                     ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-04 17:43                                                       ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-04 18:02                                                         ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-04 18:15                                                           ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-05  8:32                                                           ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2021-01-06  5:02                                                       ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-06 15:20                                                         ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06 16:44                                                           ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-06 17:05                                                             ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06 17:13                                                               ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-04 17:20                                                     ` martin rudalics
2021-01-04 17:43                                                       ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2021-01-04 18:52                                                         ` martin rudalics
2021-01-05  8:33                                                           ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2021-01-04 18:04                                                       ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-06  5:03                                                       ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-06 15:23                                                         ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-07  7:53                                                           ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-06  5:01                                                     ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-04 17:53                                                 ` Juri Linkov
2021-01-05  6:33                                                 ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-05 14:57                                                   ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-05  6:35                                                 ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-04 10:28                                               ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-04 17:22                                                 ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-04 17:28                                                   ` martin rudalics
2021-01-06  5:03                                                     ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-04 22:18                                                   ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-05 14:50                                                     ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06  0:14                                                       ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-06  3:34                                                         ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06  9:41                                                           ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-06 15:33                                                             ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06 15:46                                                               ` Tassilo Horn
2021-01-06 16:08                                                                 ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06 16:36                                                                   ` Tassilo Horn
2021-01-06 16:58                                                                     ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06 23:57                                                               ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-07  9:41                                                                 ` Stefan Kangas
2021-01-08  6:17                                                             ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-07  7:41                                                           ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-07 14:23                                                             ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-13 15:57                                                               ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-06  5:13                                                     ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-05  6:29                                                 ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-04  8:52                                             ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2021-01-05  6:33                                               ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-05 14:44                                                 ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-07  7:33                                                   ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-07 14:18                                                     ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-07 15:09                                                     ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-13 15:57                                                       ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-13 16:16                                                         ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-15  5:28                                                           ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-15  7:13                                                             ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-17  6:03                                                               ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-07 15:10                                                     ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-05 14:58                                                 ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-04 14:59                                             ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06  5:01                                               ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-06 15:16                                                 ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06 21:18                                                   ` Alfred M. Szmidt
2021-01-07  3:32                                                     ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06 15:28                                                 ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-06  5:01                                               ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-06 15:17                                                 ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-04  5:17                                           ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-04  6:12                                             ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-04 15:01                                             ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06  5:01                                               ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-06 15:14                                                 ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06  5:01                                               ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-06 15:16                                                 ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-07  7:53                                                   ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-07 14:32                                                     ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-04 10:28                                           ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-04 11:02                                             ` Alan Mackenzie
2021-01-04 11:35                                               ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-04 12:34                                                 ` Alan Mackenzie
2021-01-04 13:10                                                   ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-04 17:21                                                   ` martin rudalics
2021-01-05 10:48                                                     ` Alan Mackenzie
2021-01-05 11:10                                                       ` tomas
2021-01-05 15:34                                                       ` martin rudalics
2021-01-04 15:19                                             ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-04 22:17                                               ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-05 11:44                                                 ` Alan Mackenzie
2021-01-05 14:48                                                 ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-05 18:18                                                   ` Juri Linkov
2021-01-05  6:44                                             ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-03  6:01                                     ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-03  6:01                                     ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-04 18:03                                       ` Juri Linkov
2021-01-06  5:03                                         ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-14  8:50                                           ` Juri Linkov
2021-01-15  5:41                                             ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-03  6:03                                   ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-03 15:13                                     ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-05  6:25                                       ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-05 14:54                                         ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06  0:14                                           ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-06  0:44                                             ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-06  9:41                                               ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-06 11:06                                                 ` Stefan Kangas
2021-01-06 15:35                                                   ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06 15:46                                                   ` Drew Adams
2021-01-06 23:57                                                   ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions. [this message]
2021-01-07  9:46                                                     ` Stefan Kangas
2021-01-07 10:03                                                       ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-07 10:29                                                         ` Stefan Kangas
2021-01-09  6:34                                                       ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-09  8:32                                                         ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-09 14:06                                                           ` Following etc/NEWS on the development branch (was: Confused by y-or-n-p) Kévin Le Gouguec
2021-01-09 14:24                                                             ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-09 16:05                                                               ` Following etc/NEWS on the development branch Kévin Le Gouguec
2021-01-09  9:34                                                         ` Confused by y-or-n-p Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-10  6:07                                                           ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-07 14:09                                                     ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-07 23:34                                                       ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-08  2:10                                                         ` Stefan Monnier
2021-01-09  9:34                                                           ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-08  7:16                                                         ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-09  6:44                                                           ` Stealing minibuffers [Was: Confused by y-or-n-p] Richard Stallman
2021-01-09  9:34                                                             ` Gregory Heytings via Emacs development discussions.
2021-01-09 10:04                                                               ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-06 15:32                                                 ` Confused by y-or-n-p Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-07  7:52                                                   ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-07 14:27                                                     ` Eli Zaretskii
2021-01-07  7:52                                                 ` Richard Stallman
2021-01-06  3:35                                             ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-28  5:26                   ` Richard Stallman
2020-12-28  5:51                     ` Drew Adams
2020-12-28  8:59                     ` Juri Linkov
2020-12-26 10:24           ` Richard Stallman
2020-12-26 10:51             ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-27  5:38               ` Richard Stallman
2020-12-25  9:23       ` Juri Linkov
2020-12-25 11:46         ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-25  8:42     ` martin rudalics
2020-12-25 11:31       ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-25 13:20         ` martin rudalics
2020-12-26 10:24     ` Richard Stallman
2020-12-26 10:41       ` Sv: " arthur miller
2020-12-27  5:38         ` Richard Stallman
2020-12-26 10:49       ` Eli Zaretskii
2020-12-26 13:45       ` martin rudalics
2020-12-27  5:46         ` Richard Stallman
2020-12-26 18:30       ` Drew Adams
2020-12-25  4:40   ` Richard Stallman
2020-12-25  8:42     ` martin rudalics
2020-12-28 17:09   ` Juri Linkov
2020-12-29  8:53     ` martin rudalics

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