Re: Smooth transition for modules

[Bastien <bzg@gnu.org>]

Hi Aaron,

thanks for your feedback.

Ecay <aaronecay@gmail.com> writes:

> Indeed, the patch was written under that assumption.  If the situation
> changes, (at least) some tweaks would be needed.

I will think again about the whole issue and propose a change when
I have some code to show.

> I like this idea, but I also think that emacsʼ packages feature is a
> better/newer way to implement something like this.  What if:
>
> 1. We donʼt include org-tempo in org releases

(Assuming we don't want org-tempo to live in Org's core.)

> 2. We teach GNU ELPA to include org-tempo as a package (corresponding to
>    stable org releases)
> 3. We teach <https://orgmode.org/elpa/> to also do so (corresponding to
>    nightly org releases)

(I doubt https://orgmode.org/elpa/ is still very useful, it might go
away eventually.)

> 4. We implement your suggested user prompt, but it will ask them if they
>    want to install the org-tempo package from ELPA

You mean: instead of simply requiring other packages from a package,
add a new Suggest: header for packages suggestions?

I find this to be a great idea indeed, mimicking what apt-get does
when suggesting other packages to install.

On top of that, you could have an option in package.el that, when
turned on, would explicitely ask the user if she wants to install
suggested packages.

> In this way, users who either install org from GNU ELPA or use the
> version bundled with emacs will get the latest release version of
> org-tempo from GNU ELPA.

I fail to see how users who don't install Org at all and use the
version that is bundled with Emacs are asked whether they want to
install a soon-to-be-deprecated package - let me know if I missed
something.

> Those who install the nightly version of org
> will get the corresponding nightly version of org-tempo.*
>
> WDYT?

I think this discussion shows there is room for nice ideas when it
comes to enhance the user experience!

> * Those of us who install org from git might have to do something else
> to make sure the right version of org-tempo is loaded, but weʼre used to
> living on the edge.  :P

Well, I think that even experienced users would enjoy discovering new
packages when suggested by the packages they use -- and also enjoy the
fact that they are asked whether they accept to disable a feature (now
externalized as a package) when they upgrade a package.

I hope we can digg in that direction!

-- 
 Bastien