Re: File menu changes (suggestions)

[Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>]

> From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com>
> Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2005 15:33:47 -0700
> 
> With all due respect, don't get nasty.

If you get arrogant, I get nasty.

> I simply pointed out the general rule that not all evolution is in the
> direction of progress.

We are not talking philosophy in this list.  We are talking specific
practical issues.

> If you take the (arrogant?) point of view that we have already achieved the
> "best of all possible worlds" because lots of discussion, research,
> experimentation, and expertise went into the existing design, then yes, it's
> futile not only to suggest repeating a past state but also to suggest any
> other changes.

Not everything in Emacs is based on such an effort.  The current menu
structure is.  I never said that it's the best of all possible
arrangements, but the fact that we changed it from A to B does mean
that the merits and demerits of A vs B were already considered and
after a long and constructive discussion we concluded that B is
better.  So going back to A without at least pointing out where the
previous considerations were incorrect is a regression (a negative
label) that wastes our valuable time and energy, and on top of that
threatens to set us back 5 or 6 years.

> I (arrogantly?) have a less deferential attitude toward the status quo, but
> that doesn't mean that I don't value and respect it, its history, and the
> people who constructed it - I do.

Such respect does not mean anything if it does not have specific and
clear expression.  Arguing that we should go back to what was already
considered and rejected, without at least retracing past discussions
and pointing out where they were wrong, is anything but an expression
of any respect for past deliberations, time, and energy invested back
then, to say nothing of the effort we invest now.

> please try to be polite.

Yeah, right.