Re: window--dump-frame

[Thien-Thi Nguyen <ttn@gnu.org>]

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() Stefan Monnier <monnier@IRO.UMontreal.CA>
() Thu, 22 May 2014 17:06:09 -0400

   No, "--" means it's "internal", but it's perfectly OK to have
   commands designed solely for debugging purposes, i.e. "internal use".

Sure, for the programmer.  Unfortunately, the distinction is not readily
comprehensible (and more to the point, respected) by the non-programmer.
If it shows up in ‘apropos-command’, it will be tried and maybe trusted.
Betraying the trust, for reasons even justifiable, is Not Cool.

I stand by my gut feelings: Best to avoid "don't do that" in a future
mailing list post by not making "that" doable.  Next best would be to
add hugely fearsome disclaimers in the docstring, i suppose.  Then
"don't do that" becomes "RTFM", which is only slightly more mellifluous.

(In times past, i would have optimistically imagined another message:
"read the source, luke!".  Maybe that optimism will return, who knows.
No man is an island, but the puddles are damnably prevalent...)

-- 
Thien-Thi Nguyen
   GPG key: 4C807502
   (if you're human and you know it)
      read my lisp: (responsep (questions 'technical)
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                     => nil

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