RE: delete-selection-mode as default

[Drew Adams]

>   > I think you take it for granted that the non-delete-selection-mode
>   > behavior of Emacs is fundamentally superior.
> 
> "Fundamentally" is not what I'm talking about.
> 
> delete-selection-mode is designed for the interface scheme where you
> select a region with the mouse.  That's where we copied it from.
> In that interface scheme, delete-selection-mode fits.

I can't speak to its history - that may be where you copied it from.

But its design and its behavior fit just as well with selecting the
region in any way, not just with a mouse. The region can be
selected programmatically, by setting the mark and moving
point interactively, using shift-selection, or any other method
that might exist to select the region.

> The traditional Emacs interface is that you edit with the
> keyboard.  What fits that interface is that Backspace deletes
> one character.

The traditional Emacs interface is defined how? Do you mean
Emacs in a terminal? No faces? No mouse support? No text
properties? How far back do you go, to find it?

Or by traditional do you just mean the default behavior,
which means of course that `d-s-m' is off?

In any case, `d-s-m' works fine when editing with only the
keyboard, with both keyboard and mouse, and with only
the mouse (or foot pedals or...).

Please don't suggest that `d-s-m' behavior is in some way
limited to use with a mouse or that it in some way promotes
or is connected with any particular OS (e.g. MS Windows) -
it's not.