Re: .emacs and other config file questions

[Tim X <timx@nospam.dev.null>]

Tommy Kelly <tommy.kelly@verilab.com> writes:

> Back to using emacs after a long absence. This is partly a test to see
> if I've set up Gnus properly so as to post to gmane. But I've a few
> acatual (although probably old and well-worn) questions on emacs
> configuration. I've browsed gmane archives and googled about for info
> but can't find anything definitive: 
>
> 1. "customize" versus Do It Yourself?
> =====================================
> Is there a general view as to the pros and cons of using customize
> versus just writing the lisp yourself? Although I know very little lisp,
> I'm inclined towards the latter -- primarily so I'm forced to
> learn. Customize is cool and easy and simple, but I worry it leaves me
> dependent on it. Make sense, or am I just trying to punch nails in with
> my fist when even the cool kids these days use the customize nailgun?
> Found a few items on this, including
> http://article.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.help/25218 which references
> something back in 1999 that I couldn't locate.
>

I use to always do it all my self. However, after running into a couple
of problems, I've learnt that customize is a lot more reliable and tends
to behave better with upgrades etc. 

I now have a lot of staff done with customize and some which I still do
myself. My advice is to use customize. I don't think there is any
problem with being dependent on it. Its not going away and lets face it,
most of the time we have real work we want to get done and don't really
need to be banging our heads unnecessarily. 

> 2. Why .gnus (and no, for example, .org)?
> ========================================
> Gnus seems unusual among the many packages in that convention seems
> to dictate we do most of its setup in .gnus, rather than in
> .emacs. Why is that? After all, there's no similar "special" file
> expected for, for example, org-mode or Newsticker or Rcirc. Is there a
> problem with ditching .gnus and just putting gnus setup stuff into
> .emacs (or something loaded from .emacs)? This is connected with the
> earlier question about customize. If I use customize then I can find my
> gnus setup info gets split into two places: my own code in .gnus, and
> customize's stuff in (by default) .emacs. That's a bit smelly, no? Or is
> there some stuff that *must* go in .gnus because it makes no sense until
> Gnus is actually run? 

Not sure it really matters. However, for what it is worth, all my gnus
stuff is now done via customize and I don't have a .gnus file anymore.
However, I also have very little gnus customizeation. Essentially I just
have a gnus-posting-styles entry and a gnus-select-method and thats it.

> Finally, something touching more than emacs, but in my case specific to it:
>
> 3. Mirroring the above?
> =======================
> I'm running primarily on a desktop iMac, but would like to run also from
> a MacBook Pro Laptop. I have DropBox. I also have iDisk (MobileMe). And
> in the past I've used unison. Anyone care to share how they handle their
> config setup (i.e. their use of .emacs, customization, .gnus, and so on)
> where they want the same setup mirrored across multiple machines?
>

The way I've done it is to have a central git repository for all my
config stuff. I then do a checkout on any system I need the config on.
I use to use drop box, but it didn't quite meet my needs. Sometimes, I
wanted local modifications to things like .emacs. 

Essentially, what I have now is a central 'global' git repository that
holds the global config stuff. I then clone locally and make any local
changes in a local branch. this setup allows me to easily refresh from
the global repository and control what changes I push up from local
clones (making a global config change) and keep local those bits that
are local. 

It may be too/more complex than necessary, depending on your
requirements. Drop box or things like the couchdb based ubuntu one etc
may be sufficient for your needs.

Tim


-- 
tcross (at) rapttech dot com dot au