> But that's also the "normal" package.el installation, so there's no need
> to search for brief.el: after the above command, Emacs will know where
> to find brief.el and `b` could just fire `emacs -f brief-mode` and be
> done with it.

Aside from the major purpose of 'b' for new users, there is a minor
purpose of 'b' -- a quick convenient shortcut for experienced users,
a pure & clean Emacs+Brief environment.  Just like the "-q" or "-Q"
argument is for Emacs. You might notice by default I add "-q" in 'b'
and gave an "-nq" to reverse it.  I would like 'b' to behave just like
"emacs -q" or "emacs -Q", but, with BriefMode as it's default keymap.

For myself, I from time to time need to launch a clean emacs env (to
bypass my lengthy .emacs init seq) for some quick editing, sometimes
emacsclient is just not adequate, therefore the "emacs -q" was
supposed to be good enough for that but just lack of the brief keymap.
Therefore with "-q" so I can't just fire it with "-f brief-mode" and
therefore it came along with the version/path things.

If you have a better way to launch Emacs with -q while being able to do
similar things like "-f brief-mode", *please definitively let me know*.
I myself don't like those default version things but I got no better
way.  For a personal script I don't have that locally; but when it
extended for other users or new users, with Brief as an installed
Emacs package, I can't find a faster way to direct access
"~/.emacs.d/elpa/brief-XXX" without any searching.  As I mentioned
in my earlier reply I can make things more complicated by things like
a 'find ~/.emacs.d/elpa -name b' but then I will need to sort
"by versions" if there are several versions returned (which involves
*version format* comparison like: v5.100 > v5.90). Of course, this
won't happen immediately as currently there is only v5.86.  But once
there are more other versions installed it suppose to slow down things.

> That's also why I suggested introducing another function (like
> `brief-mode-full`) which would call brief plus setup those
> (h)scroll vars.

Yap, that's a good idea and I can get rid of those default settings
in 'b' altogether.  I will do that in my next release.

Best regards,
Luke Lee

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> 於 2018年10月21日 週日 上午2:51寫道：

> >> Not sure what you mean exactly, here: `b` is a script that's part of the
> >> `brief` GNU ELPA package.  So to get this script, they've had to
> >> "install" (at the very least download and unpack) that package already.
> >> The easiest way to install it is with `M-x package-install RET`, AFAIK
> >
> > In EmacsWiki page (or "README.org") I suggest this command line:
> >
> > $ emacs -Q -eval "(progn (package-initialize) (package-refresh-contents)
> \
> > (package-install 'brief) (save-buffers-kill-emacs))"
> >
> > so basically a new user only need to copy&paste this command...
>
> But that's also the "normal" package.el installation, so there's no need
> to search for brief.el: after the above command, Emacs will know where
> to find brief.el and `b` could just fire `emacs -f brief-mode` and be
> done with it.
>
> > However I am facing another more basic problem that I can't make
> > either 'b' or 'README.org' packed into brief package.  I read thru all
> > the multi-file related info but they seems only applies to .el files.
> > I am still trying, if I still can't even pack 'b' or README.org I will
> just
> > put them in github and modify EmacsWiki and README.org about the above
> > command line without even using package.  Of course the 'b' would need
> > to be modified accordingly.
>
> IIUC you found the answer in the mean time: the package header needed
> a `Package-Type: multi`.
>
> > Once users find the behavior of launching 'b' and of Emacs+briefpkg
> > differs, they will findout in the 'b' script.  Surely better be in
> > README.org.
>
> That's also why I suggested introducing another function (like
> `brief-mode-full`) which would call brief plus setup those
> (h)scroll vars.
>
>
>         Stefan
>


-- 
Best regards,
Luke Lee