Re: Software/HD ecology (was Re:...Bug in Emacs 21.3.50)

[Miles Bader <miles@lsi.nec.co.jp>]

Anil Trivedi <anil@null.invalid> writes:
> But several issues *have* been raised here: (1) Don't waste disk space,
> (2) Enable users to safely delete either the functionality or files
> they know they don't need, (3) And include a complete uninstall script.

All these have been addressed in this thread (but it is true that the
people asking these questions keep squirming around and changing the
topic):
 
 (1) The added complexity necessary to actually do this manner is in
     most cases far more harmful than the wasted disk space (certainly
     emacs is pretty small compared to modern hard disks!).

     There _are_ certain parts of emacs which come in large monolithic
     easy-to-delete chunks (e.g., LEIM), which might be worth providing
     a `delete' option for, but I think they can dealt with on a
     case-by-case basis.

 (2) This is a very vague request (and whenever this issue has been
     raised elsewhere in this thread, the language used has been
     similarly vague).

     Allowing users to `safely and easily' delete _files_ is hard, given
     emacs' structure and history (if emacs had been designed from the
     start with this in mind, of course it would easier), and of little
     obvious benefit.

     Allowing users to delete _functionality_ is similarly hard, but
     probably more beneficial, in specific cases -- feel free to suggest
     places where you feel this should be done, and how the
     user-interface for this would work.

 (3) Emacs already has an uninstall function

> this is what I see on my system:
> 
>    anil% find /usr -name emacs -print
>    /usr/bin/emacs
>    /usr/info/emacs
>    /usr/libexec/emacs
>    /usr/local/bin/emacs
>    /usr/share/emacs
>    /usr/share/info/emacs

Um, that's how unix(-like) systems work.  Emacs did not decide this
layout, it merely follows it.  Feel free to complain, but it isn't
going to change anytime soon.

> > Why does this support for other languages bother you, whereas 
> > support for TPU-emulation, RMail, Simula, etc... doesn't?  Do you intend 
> > to learn Simula?
> 
> When you don't need such things and they are taking more than minimal
> disk space, you should be abe to delete them too. 

See points (1) and (2).

-Miles
-- 
Is it true that nothing can be known?  If so how do we know this?  -Woody Allen