Re: Initial splash screen

[David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>]

Stephen Berman <Stephen.Berman@gmx.net> writes:

> On Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:43:01 +0200 David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org> wrote:
>
>>                       and starting Emacs without a filename gives
>> us a frame where nothing useful can be displayed yet.
>
> Well, that's what being debated in the thread I forked off of; many
> people do find an initial *scratch* buffer useful.

The initial *scratch* buffer is useful for _writing_ (which will
obliterate the splash screen just fine).  An initial _file_ buffer in
contrast, is supposed to be useful for _reading_, and one can't start
reading as long as the splash screen is blocking the reading.

>> So there is no point in not showing the splash screen indefinitely
>> if we are called without file name.
>
> If by `indefinitely' you mean upon every invocation, again, the
> point is the same as the reason for having inhibit-splash-screen,
> whose effect is not constrained to starting Emacs with a file name.

Which is a mistake in my book: people have reported the habit of just
starting another Emacs without file name if they find themselves in
want of reading up on the splash screen.  Having inhibit-splash-screen
not able to discriminate between the with-file and without-file
invocation takes away this expedience.

>> But _with_ a file name, the situation is different, and we should
>> cater for it differently.
>
> I don't see such a difference: the information in the splash screen
> should be learned even if a user always starts Emacs with a file
> name (and once the information is learned, the splash screen need
> not appear any more, even if you start Emacs without a file name).

You are assuming a perfect memory.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum