problem with C-x C-f

[Werner LEMBERG <wl@gnu.org>]

I have a plain text file called `errata.z'.  Trying to visit the file
with C-x C-f fails, giving the following message:

  Error while executing "gzip -c -q -d < errata.z"

  gzip: stdin: not in gzip format

This is fine, but actually how do I load this file?  My intuitive try
was C-u C-x C-f, but this doesn't work.  The help text for C-x C-f
doesn't give a hint either.

After checking the info files I found the function
find-file-literally.  While it works, it still gives the above error
message which is irritating IMHO.

My suggestions:

  . Bind C-u C-x C-f to `find-file-literally'.

  . I think find-file should try harder to open a file.  If a file
    exists and uncompressing fails there is a high chance that the
    file isn't compressed at all, so it should handle the file as
    uncompressed.  This status should be remembered for saving the
    file.


    Werner