"load-file" surreptitiously pushes directories onto load-path.

[Alan Mackenzie <acm@muc.de>]

Hi, Emacs!

Start a modern Emacs with
    # emacs -Q

In *scratch*, do
    C-u M-: load-path

Follow this up with
    M-x load-file ~/cc-mode-5.31.n/tests/000tests.elc

and repeat
    C-u M-: load-path

It will be seen that load-file has pushed the element
"/home/acm/cc-mode-5.31.n" onto the front of load-path.  This is surely
a bug.  And even if it's not, it ought to be!

I think it's a serious bug.  It can lead hackers to testing code which
is in a different directory from what they think.  It has done exactly
that to me for an extended period.

I've had a quick look through the Elisp manual, without finding this
behaviour described.

As a matter of interest, this bug is in Emacs 21.  It is very old.

I might try and track it down tomorrow.

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Ittersbach, Germany).