RE: eval-after-load not harmful after all (Was: Re: Why js-2mode?)

["Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com>]

> I have no objection to use of `eval-after-load' in user or site files
> that are disabled by emacs -q.  But `eval-after-load' in core files is
> like smoking in an elevator next to a pregnant woman.  It's very
> convenient, maybe even "necessary", from the point of view of the
> user of the feature, but he doesn't bear the pain of debugging a
> Heisenbug that appears for the user of random-package-using-e-a-l.
> 
> I note that all the advocates of e-a-l are package maintainers and UI
> types; all the deprecators are core.  This is an inherent tension, and
> I think it should be resolved in favor of protecting the core.

Nothing wrong with "protecting the core".

The discussion was about the Elisp manual, whose target audience is not just
maintainers of the Emacs core. The help and guidance there are used by a variety
of programmer-users.

Again, there's nothing wrong with (a) giving a general guideline, and also (b)
explaining the issues and giving additional info about contexts where the
guideline might not be something you would want to follow. It's about furthering
understanding, not just rote learning of rules.