Re: backup method

[Han Boetes <han@mijncomputer.nl>]

Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> > Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 01:01:48 +0059
> > From: Han Boetes <han@mijncomputer.nl>
> >
> > The default backup method is mv and then create a new file. That's
> > nice if you really want to keep the timestamp intact. But if you
> > use emacs with crontab -e you remove the tmpfile and since the
> > filedescriptor is still open your update to your cron is lost --
> > without warning. It was pretty hard to discover why this happened.
> >
> > So I would like to suggest to  make backup by copying the default.
>
> So you had a very specific problem, and you are suggesting to change
> the defaults of _all_ users just because of that one problem?

You are absolutely right, that's exactly what I suggested. I also
suggest you make a study on rhetorical questions and I hope you
find out why you should avoid them.


> I agree with Miles: the default backup method is a very natural thing
> to do.  I don't think your special case is a reason good enough to
> change the default.

If you would have read the rest of the thread you would have
discovered I came up with something better.


>  At best, it's a reason for you to customize your Emacs.

No I really found a problem. Not a bug in emacs, but it does need
a workaround.



# Han