Re: `*' interactive spec in some text-killing functions

[David Kastrup]

"Juanma Barranquero" <address@hidden> writes:

> On 6/28/07, David Kastrup <address@hidden> wrote:
>
>> No.  `*' does not warn, it throws an error.
>
> Interactively, what's an error but a warning to the user?

A warning causes an action to continue (and usually no beep), an error
aborts the current operation (including a keyboard macro) and beeps.

>> And a readonly buffer does not get a warning when you try to change
>> it, but again throws an error, and nothing happens.  Regardless
>> whether you try it interactively or not.  `*' does not change that: it
>> might just throw an error at a more convenient time.
>
> I'm not sure what are you trying to say here.

Well, that's only fair.  On my side, I have no clue whatsoever what
you are trying to achieve with your proposal that one should not be
able to change between overwrite and insertion mode in a readonly
buffer.

For example, I find it completely legitimate to change to overwrite
mode, then lock out a file from RCS (which makes it writable), work on
it, check it in and then change back from overwrite mode (even though
the buffer is already again readonly).

I see no point whatsoever to throw an error in that situation.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum