Easy Customization node in Info says save in your .emacs

Easy Customization node in Info says save in your .emacs

[Lennart Borgman]

I believe the following text in the node Easy Customization in Info is not
entirely correct:

    and to save settings permanently
    in your `~/.emacs' file (*note Init File::).

Should it not be something like "in your custom-file (defaults to
~/.emacs)"?

- Lennart

Re: Easy Customization node in Info says save in your .emacs

[Richard Stallman]

    I believe the following text in the node Easy Customization in Info is not
    entirely correct:

	and to save settings permanently
	in your `~/.emacs' file (*note Init File::).

    Should it not be something like "in your custom-file (defaults to
    ~/.emacs)"?

That change would make more complexity for beginners.
It is better not to let these obscure features get in the way
of explaining the normal case.

Re: Easy Customization node in Info says save in your .emacs

[Kevin Rodgers]

Richard Stallman wrote:
>     I believe the following text in the node Easy Customization in Info is not
>     entirely correct:
> 
> 	and to save settings permanently
> 	in your `~/.emacs' file (*note Init File::).
> 
>     Should it not be something like "in your custom-file (defaults to
>     ~/.emacs)"?
> 
> That change would make more complexity for beginners.
> It is better not to let these obscure features get in the way
> of explaining the normal case.

I doubt even beginners would find the notion of a default custom-file
name to be complex.

-- 
Kevin Rodgers

Re: Easy Customization node in Info says save in your .emacs

[Lennart Borgman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kevin Rodgers" <ihs_4664@yahoo.com>


> Richard Stallman wrote:
> >     I believe the following text in the node Easy Customization in Info
is not
> >     entirely correct:
> >
> > and to save settings permanently
> > in your `~/.emacs' file (*note Init File::).
> >
> >     Should it not be something like "in your custom-file (defaults to
> >     ~/.emacs)"?
> >
> > That change would make more complexity for beginners.
> > It is better not to let these obscure features get in the way
> > of explaining the normal case.
>
> I doubt even beginners would find the notion of a default custom-file
> name to be complex.

I agree and instead I think the beginners do have trouble finding out that
you could use custom-file. That was at least what I had.

- Lennart

RE: Easy Customization node in Info says save in your .emacs

[Drew Adams]

    > > That change would make more complexity for beginners.
    > > It is better not to let these obscure features get in the way
    > > of explaining the normal case.
    >
    > I doubt even beginners would find the notion of a default custom-file
    > name to be complex.

    I agree and instead I think the beginners do have trouble
    finding out that you could use custom-file. That was at least what I
had.

I agree.

Not telling people about custom-file and .emacs up front will only lead to
their becoming confused and frustrated.  If customize is the preferred way
for beginners to change settings, then even (especially?) beginners need to
be told about custom-file and .emacs; there is no way around that.

We can try to make things simple and straightforward, but I don't think we
can consider custom-file to be an "obscure feature".