auto-compression-mode in menu bar

auto-compression-mode in menu bar

[Juri Linkov]

Since auto-compression-mode is now on by default, isn't it right to
remove the menu item "Automatic File De/compression" from the menu bar?

The main purpose of this menu item was to make it easier to turn it on
after starting Emacs.  With on by default, there are not many reasons
to turn it off (there is find-file-literally to visit compressed files
without decompression).

The Option menu is too big already, so removing an unnecessary item is
a good change.

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/

Re: auto-compression-mode in menu bar

[Richard M. Stallman]

    Since auto-compression-mode is now on by default, isn't it right to
    remove the menu item "Automatic File De/compression" from the menu bar?

You could be right.  Does anyone see a need for this to remain?

If no one objects in 5 days, please delete it.

Re: auto-compression-mode in menu bar

[Kevin Rodgers]

Richard M. Stallman wrote:
 >     Since auto-compression-mode is now on by default, isn't it right to
 >     remove the menu item "Automatic File De/compression" from the 
menu bar?
 >
 > You could be right.  Does anyone see a need for this to remain?

So if a global option is off by default, there is a menu item to turn it
on (and then off again, if desired).  But if a global option is on by
default, there is no menu item to turn it off (or back on again, if
desired).  Is that a good user interface design?

-- 
Kevin Rodgers

Re: auto-compression-mode in menu bar

[Luc Teirlinck]

Kevin Rodgers wrote:

   So if a global option is off by default, there is a menu item to turn it
   on (and then off again, if desired).

To the contrary, for the overwhelming majority of global options that
are off by default, there is no menu item to turn it on.  Otherwise
the Options menu would just be horrendously huge.

   But if a global option is on by default, there is no menu item to
   turn it off (or back on again, if desired).

This is not a discrimination issue between options that are turned on
vs off by default.  The question is whether people (especially
inexperienced users, who are the main users of the menu bar)
sufficiently often want to visit a compressed file in compressed form
to make the ability of turning this option off more important (for
inexperienced users) than the tons of other options that are not
customizable through the menu bar.

Sincerely,

Luc.