Re: Put updated package.el in ELPA? (and cl-lib backport)

[Stefan Monnier <monnier@IRO.UMontreal.CA>]

> Yeah, yeah, I'm obsessed with package.el. So sue me ;)
> Since my branch of package.el wasn't ready in time for 24.3, I'd like to
> distribute it via ELPA itself. This would let us develop new features
> (like Org-based READMEs) and make them available to people without
> having to wait for 24.4. Obviously, this is a big deal and, if not done
> carefully, could break a lot of people's installations. Real care and
> frequent testing would be needed to ensure a smooth rollout. Any changes
> to "archive-contents" or "FOO-pkg.el" files would need to be backward-
> and forward-compatible. Luckily, the current package.el is perfectly
> fine with extra elements in "FOO-pkg.el" files as well as
> "archive-contents".

> Is this something you all think would be appropriate?

I don't think that would solve the problem: we don't want to force
people to install a newer package.el to access GNU ELPA with Emacs<=24.3.

IOW the only solution is to make sure that whatever new feature we
implement does not break access with older package.el.

> I propose an ELPA-installable package called `cl-lib' which would be
> like 24.3's `cl', but in reverse. It would consist of a bunch of aliases
> to the `cl' functions and macros so that authors on <= 24.2 could use
> `cl-*' functions without excluding everyone not on 24.3.

I think that would be fine.  Even better if it also works for Emacs-23.


        Stefan