bug#37818: [PATCH] Various FAQ updates

[Stefan Kangas <stefan@marxist.se>]

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Please find attached three patches with FAQ updates:

1. Remove section on how to enable the default behaviour of having the
region highlighted, which is probably not a frequently asked question.

2. Remove information on large files in ancient versions of Emacs that
would only confuse new users.  This leaves in only the information on
the relatively recent versions of Emacs.

3. Update section on Emacs security to remove reference to the now
very old "movemail" incident, and add relevant information on
packages.  Perhaps this section could be extended, or other risks
added and/or removed.  If anyone has any ideas for what to add, I'd be
happy to do so.

Best regards,
Stefan Kangas

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From 1e80d6f61cbf3ee9e474666840a984b1c8e64cd8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2019 22:55:56 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 1/3] Remove FAQ section "Highlighting a region"

* doc/misc/efaq.texi (Highlighting a region): Remove section.
---
 doc/misc/efaq.texi | 17 -----------------
 1 file changed, 17 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/misc/efaq.texi b/doc/misc/efaq.texi
index bb79b6c837..a8d03cca74 100644
--- a/doc/misc/efaq.texi
+++ b/doc/misc/efaq.texi
@@ -1765,23 +1765,6 @@ Associating modes with files
 the script.  Use @kbd{C-h v} (or @kbd{M-x describe-variable}) on
 @code{interpreter-mode-alist} to learn more.
 
-@node Highlighting a region
-@section How can I highlight a region of text in Emacs?
-@cindex Highlighting text
-@cindex Text, highlighting
-@cindex @code{transient-mark-mode}
-@cindex Region, highlighting a
-
-You can cause the region to be highlighted when the mark is active by
-including
-
-@lisp
-(transient-mark-mode 1)
-@end lisp
-
-@noindent
-in your @file{.emacs} file.  Since Emacs 23.1, this feature is on by default.
-
 @node Replacing highlighted text
 @section How can I replace highlighted text with what I type?
 @cindex @code{delete-selection-mode}
-- 
2.23.0


[-- Attachment #3: 0002-Update-FAQ-section-on-large-files.patch --]
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From bd23b37e9440bc8c177b525a5478fc190fd3aead Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2019 22:56:34 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 2/3] Update FAQ section on large files

* doc/misc/efaq.texi (Problems with very large files): Remove
information about ancient versions of Emacs.
---
 doc/misc/efaq.texi | 5 +----
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/misc/efaq.texi b/doc/misc/efaq.texi
index a8d03cca74..2510d9a5b2 100644
--- a/doc/misc/efaq.texi
+++ b/doc/misc/efaq.texi
@@ -2923,16 +2923,13 @@ Bugs and problems
 @end menu
 
 @node Problems with very large files
-@section Does Emacs have problems with files larger than 8 megabytes?
+@section Does Emacs have problems with large files?
 @cindex Very large files, opening
 @cindex Large files, opening
 @cindex Opening very large files
 @cindex Maximum file size
 @cindex Files, maximum size
 
-Old versions (i.e., anything before 19.29) of Emacs had problems editing
-files larger than 8 megabytes.  In versions 19.29 and later, the maximum
-buffer size is at least @math{2^{27}-1}, or 134,217,727 bytes, or 132 MBytes.
 The maximum buffer size on 32-bit machines increased to 256 MBytes in
 Emacs 22, and again to 512 MBytes in Emacs 23.2.
 
-- 
2.23.0


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From b768ed2cf828623f0c3026d3bf9bf7013cf9b4a2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2019 22:57:05 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 3/3] Update FAQ section on Emacs security

* doc/misc/efaq.texi (Security risks with Emacs): Remove section on
movemail.  Add section on third-party packages.
---
 doc/misc/efaq.texi | 23 ++++++-----------------
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/misc/efaq.texi b/doc/misc/efaq.texi
index 2510d9a5b2..b11812e6a0 100644
--- a/doc/misc/efaq.texi
+++ b/doc/misc/efaq.texi
@@ -3209,23 +3209,12 @@ Security risks with Emacs
 @itemize @bullet
 
 @item
-The @file{movemail} incident.  (No, this is not a risk.)
-
-In his book @cite{The Cuckoo's Egg}, Cliff Stoll describes this in
-chapter 4.  The site at LBL had installed the @file{/etc/movemail}
-program setuid root.  (As of version 19, @file{movemail} is in your
-architecture-specific directory; type @kbd{C-h v exec-directory
-@key{RET}} to see what it is.)  Since @code{movemail} had not been
-designed for this situation, a security hole was created and users could
-get root privileges.
-
-@code{movemail} has since been changed so that this security hole will
-not exist, even if it is installed setuid root.  However,
-@code{movemail} no longer needs to be installed setuid root, which
-should eliminate this particular risk.
-
-We have heard unverified reports that the 1988 Internet worm took
-advantage of this configuration problem.
+Third party packages.
+
+Any package you install into Emacs can run arbtitrary code with the
+same privileges as the Emacs process itself.  Be aware of this when
+you use the package system (e.g. @code{M-x list-packages}) with third
+party archives.  Use only third parties that you can trust!
 
 @item
 The @code{file-local-variable} feature.  (Yes, a risk, but easy to
-- 
2.23.0