define-derived-mode again (was: Emacs design question)

[Stefan Monnier]

> That is a completely different kind of issue. I objected to use of
> define-derived-mode for a mode that was not derived.  I think that
> contradicts what the name says.

Well, other than the fact that fundamental-mode is interactive,
it is basically an alias for kill-all-local-variables, so the
coding-convention that says that a major mode should start by calling
kill-all-local-variables is pretty much the same as saying that
every major mode should derive from fundamental-mode.

Also the documentation of fundamental-mode mode says:

        Other major modes are defined by comparison with this one.

Many systems that offer inheritence take the view that there is
a single "root" and that you necessarily inherit from somewhere.
That's the reason why it doesn't bother me to say that every major
mode is derived from another.


        Stefan