Re: Friendly discussion about (package-initialize)

[Mark Oteiza <mvoteiza@udel.edu>]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>>>> - subverts `package-load-list' settings
>>> I don't know what this problem is.
>> package-load-list controls which autoload files for installed packages
>> get loaded.  Setting it in init.el works until package.el clobbers
>> the init file, putting package-initialize first.
>
> I see.
>
> I doubt this corner case affects many people, since I think users who mess
> with package-load-list are likely to have a .emacs complex enough that
> it already includes a call to package-initialize.
>
> In any case it's a one-time problem.

It's a one-time problem _if_ the user figures out that
package-initialize needs to go after it--so ensure-init-file still fails
to solve the problem that there are cases where the user needs to
understand package.el

It's not a corner case.  It's a documented use case of package.el.

Sure, `package-load-list' is arguably less likely to be changed, but
tons of people change `package-archives' to use 3rdp packages, and these
users are at the core of the argument for this misfeature.  Either
variable being in the wrong position relative to package-initialize
breaks things.