Re: Package.el merged

[joakim@verona.se]

Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com> writes:

> I have now added package.el, Tom Tromey's package system, to the trunk.
> It's been discussed on this list previously; to summarize, it provides a
> convenient way to download and install Emacs Lisp packages and have them
> loaded automatically at startup.

This is fantastic news! Emacs 24 sure is starting to look good!

> One change, relative to package.el 0.9, is that package-archive-base now
> points to elpa.gnu.org, a server that the FSF has graciously provided
> for our use.  This is currently mostly empty, except for a couple of
> test packages.  Let's concentrate on polishing the packaging system
> before worrying about populating it.

Ok, but getting packages in there is also a process that needs testing.

> Two defcustoms, `package-enable' and `package-load-list', allow the
> package system to be disabled, or for only specific packages to be
> loaded, or disabled, or "held" at fixed versions.  The default setting
> is to load all installed packages automatically at startup, after
> reading the init file.
>
> Currently package.el is not in loadup.el; I am still unsure whether to
> add it, or use autoloads and juggle things so that it's not loaded
> unless the user installs a package.
>
> There is still a great deal of polish that can be added, such as menu
> bar integration and improvements to the *packages* buffer (currently not
> very user friendly IMO).  Also, Stefan has requested a way to make the
> way packages are loaded during start-up more transparent, to encourage
> users to customize it; I have some ideas about how to accomodate this
> within the current system, and am working on them.
>
> Regardless, I think it is good to check the code into the trunk earlier
> than later, so here it is.  Go ahead and poke at the system, find flaws,
> etc.
>
>
> Also: if anyone among the active Emacs contributors is willing to help
> flesh out the elpa.gnu.org website, please email me!
-- 
Joakim Verona