Re: emacs mode line suggestions

[Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>]

> From: Xah <xahlee@gmail.com>
> Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:18:31 -0800 (PST)
> 
> • that the buffer location percentage should by default not shown if
> emacs is running in GUI with scroll bar.

This is already the default on _all_ types of displays, and has been
so since day one, even when Emacs didn't support scroll bars.

> • clicking on the file name should not switch buffer.

That's not the file name, that's the buffer name.

As for what it should do, I don't see why your preference is better
than the current one.  Popping a menu requires another click to
actually select a buffer, whereas the current behavior does it in one
click.  Since there's a menu-bar menu item to do what you want, I
don't see a problem.

> • Minor mode should not be displayed there. It's confusing.

Emacs always displayed it.  Get used to it.

> • Clicking on the major mode name should pop up a contextual menu to
> let user switch to major major modes.

Switching a major mode is a very rare command, so having this at your
fingertips makes no sense, IMO.

> • line number mode should be on by default. So that, the line number
> shows in the mode line.

This already is the default.

> The coding system shown in mode line should be removed. The current
> coding system should be shown in the menu somewhere

It's an important piece of information, and takes only one position in
the mode line.  I always hated the way IE and Outlook hide this
somewhere under View, because I might wish to know the current
encoding even if I don't need to switch it.

> and allow users to change [coding system] thru menu.

Emacs does have the change encoding part in the menu.