Re: unload-feature questions and thoughts

["Juanma Barranquero" <lekktu@gmail.com>]

On 10/13/07, Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> wrote:

> I don't know why you say it "only substitutes for part of that
> processing".  Maybe it is a misunderstanding.

unload-feature does this:

 - Remove functions from hooks (those in
`unload-feature-special-hook') and from `auto-mode-alist'.
 - Remove ELP stuff
 - Remove feature names
 - Restores autoloads
 - Kills local variables
 - (f)?makunbound's symbols
 - Kills timers
 - Deletes the load-history element for the file

A package-defined FEATURE-unload-hook is run as an alternative to just
*the first* of these items; the rest are done irregardless of the
existence of FEATURE-unload-hook (though it can affect them in part by
modifying `unload-hook-features-list').

> That is gratuitous breakage.  No thanks.

Well, you don't want to get rid of FEATURE-unload-hook, and you don't
want to add FEATURE-unload-function and have two similar mechanisms.

What is the alternative: retain FEATURE-unload-hook and make it do
something else? Because, if I'm understanding you right, what you
propose is turning the above list of unloading effects into one or
several functions that can be called from FEATURE-unload-hook, and
that is IMHO a hack.

             Juanma