Re: Scratch buffer annoyance

[Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org>]

> 2. Wrt #2, I prefer my idea of having a user option, `visit-on-startup', to
> specify the startup behavior. The default value could be whatever you like,
> but users should be able to customize it. I personally prefer that the
> default behavior be to visit a directory with Dired, and that the default
> directory be `~/':
>
> (defcustom visit-on-startup "~/"
>   "What Emacs visits initially."
>   :type '(choice
>           (directory :tag "Directory"        :value "~/")
>           (file      :tag "File"             :value "~/new.txt")
>           (const     :tag "*scratch* buffer" :value "*scratch*")
>           (const     :tag "Splash screen"    nil))
>   :group 'emacs)

The default depends on the question what is Emacs?  If Emacs is a file
browser then the default should be to visit the HOME directory with Dired.
If Emacs is a web browser then the default should be to visit its home
page.  If Emacs is a Lisp interpreter then the default should be the
*scratch* buffer in lisp-interaction-mode (as is supposed now).

Since Emacs can do everything then the splash screen could contain links
to the most common initial actions, e.g.:

[Visit home directory]
[Open new file]
[Open buffer for notes you don't want to save]
[Emacs Tutorial]
[Emacs FAQ]
[Read the Emacs Manual]
...

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/