Re: isearch-yank-char

[David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>]

Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org> writes:

> Karl Fogel <kfogel@floss.red-bean.com> writes:
> > Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> writes:

> >> It's a shame, because it would be nice to use more "normal"
> >> bindings in isearch to do "isearchey variants", but it's probably
> >> necessary to be pretty conservative.
> >
> > In this case, I wonder if we're not being overly conservative.
> 
> Here is an idea: to create a special mode, say, conservative-mode,
> where default values and key bindings will never change from version
> to version.  Users upset by constant changes will set it once and
> for all in own .emacs and will not worry about further changes.
> Users who don't set this mode (as well as novices who have no
> preferences) will be ready for changes, and Emacs development will
> not be restricted by care for backward compatibility anymore.  So
> everyone will be happy.

That mode is already available: it is called "stop updating your
Emacs".  There is no need to provide it explicitly.  Our discussions
here are not for maintaining the old state: they are for striking a
balance between interfaces proven over time and new ideas.  A specific
mode that always provides the old things is redundant, as you can
always use an old Emacs.  The particular balance for conservative-mode
would still have to get agreed on.

I think we should rather strive to invest the time for these
considerations where they affect all users: all the people that are
discussing here are perfectly capable of configuring their Emacs to
behave like it did previously, with less effort than it takes them
leading those discussions.  They are still doing those discussions
because they care for more than just their personal preference.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum