Re: display question: should ^N and \NNN widths be fixed?

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

   From: Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org>
   Date: 25 May 2002 10:44:05 +0900

   What is an `iso-type contour'?

this is a term i pulled out the air (perhaps better expressed as
"functional iso-contour"? -- the math heads can jump in here) to
describe a method for identifying what is it that stays the same and
what changes, when using an incremental approach.  iso-contours on
"relief" maps typically keep the altitutde the same while varying the
location.  here, we want to keep the functionality the same (not break
anything) while varying the type.

this allows us to consider adding functionality as an independent task
(so that people who are more comfortable designing/modifying those
next-higher-level algorithms can take a whack at it instead of me :-).
adding functionality can also be done incrementally, in the tradition of
emacs development.

perhaps someone can supply better terminology or metaphor...

does this make sense?

   In general, it's better to make changes in smaller incremental steps
   that can be merged into main-line CVS.  You already seem to be
   thinking that way.

yes, lacking a test suite (which is perhaps untenable for emacs), small
incremental approach is a necessity.  so, i'll post uuencoded diffs for
review, initially, to get feedback and thumbs up from rms.

in the meantime, i hope to find answers to the other logistical
questions.  this command:

  cvs co -d emacs-CVSROOT CVSROOT

reveals emacs-CVSROOT/modules has nothing in it.  anyone mind if i
create a cvs module "notes" (sibling to cvs module "emacs")?  absent
other better places, i would use this to keep notes, detailed TODO (for
this particular initiative), etc.

thi