Re: why `view-lossage' is called so?

Re: why `view-lossage' is called so?

[Bob Nelson]

drf5n@mug.sys.virginia.edu wrote:
> On 26 Apr 2003, [iso-8859-2] Janusz S. Bie? wrote:

>> The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (06 Jun 01) says:
>>
>> lossage
> ...
>>
>> I see no relation between the meaning of the word and the results of
>> `view-lossage' commands.

> I think of it as more of a lossage-recovery tool:  If you need to
> view-lossage, you've probably experienced an unexpected lossage.  It might
> make better sense named as 'view-keyboard-log' or 'view-keystroke-log',
> but I've always had a hard time guessing the right keywords for emacs
> commands.

Cleverness (or outright obscurity) often prevails over clarity when it
comes to Emacs naming conventions. A few examples come to mind:

            hippie-expand
            comint
            ange-ftp

- If you search long enough, hard enough and deep enough, there's some
  rationale for the naming convention employed by Emacs. Getting to know
  the relationship between the names and the functionality afforded is
  probably a ``rite of passage'' for a user to have any hope of entering the
  exalted sect in RMS' church of Emacs.

-- 
===============================================================================
           Bob Nelson -- Dallas, Texas, USA (nelsonbe@earthlink.net)
          http://www.oldradio.com/archives/nelson/open-computing.html
Good engineering is just finding the right wrench to pound in the correct screw

Re: override defcustom

[Bruce Ingalls]

I likely did not explain the problem precisely enough.
It now looks that both Modern Emacs & XEmacs properly (IMHO) default
font-lock-maximum-decoration to t. However, there are other custom
variables I would like to override.

The essentials work fine, if I create an emacro defcustom group, and do

(defcustom font-lock-maximum-decoration t
  "Toggle max colors for all modes."
   :group 'emacro
   :type 'boolean)

Some users will use M-x customize (or its menu equivalent), and will try 
to change the default setting.
Perhaps I am wrong, but I expect that they will be in for a surprise.
The problem is that font-lock-maximum-decoration is also set in the 
font-lock group.
Aren't users required to set this variable in both groups?
Unfortunately, they may only be aware of one group. :(

I could have EMacro generate setq() statements. However, customize() 
users will simply know that the font-lock-maximum-decoration variable is 
available, and again be disappointed.

I don't have a choice; Emacs & XEmacs already use such Customize 
Variables. I am also just as certain that I don't like the defaults 
provided. Finally, I want to provide a way that nonprogrammers can set 
their own defaults; customize() provides a user friendly menu to do just 
that.

Thanks, Bruce.

why `view-lossage' is called so?

[Janusz S. Bień]

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (06 Jun 01) says:

lossage

   <jargon> /los'*j/ The result of a {bug} or malfunction.  This
   is a mass or collective noun.  "What a loss!" and "What
   lossage!"  are nearly synonymous.  The former is slightly more
   particular to the speaker's present circumstances; the latter
   implies a continuing {lose} of which the speaker is currently
   a victim.  Thus (for example) a temporary hardware failure is
   a loss, but bugs in an important tool (like a compiler) are
   serious lossage.

I see no relation between the meaning of the word and the results of
`view-lossage' commands.

Best regards

Janusz

-- 
                     ,   
dr hab. Janusz S. Bien, prof. UW
Prof. Janusz S. Bien, Warsaw Uniwersity
http://www.orient.uw.edu.pl/~jsbien/

Re: why `view-lossage' is called so?

[drf5n]

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On 26 Apr 2003, [iso-8859-2] Janusz S. Bieñ wrote:

>
> The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (06 Jun 01) says:
>
> lossage
...
>
> I see no relation between the meaning of the word and the results of
> `view-lossage' commands.

I think of it as more of a lossage-recovery tool:  If you need to
view-lossage, you've probably experienced an unexpected lossage.  It might
make better sense named as 'view-keyboard-log' or 'view-keystroke-log',
but I've always had a hard time guessing the right keywords for emacs
commands.

Dave
-- 
 Dave Forrest    (434)924-3954w(111B) (804)642-0662h (804)695-2026p
 drf5n@virginia.edu             http://mug.sys.virginia.edu/~drf5n/