Re: delete-selection-mode as default

[hw]

Eli Zaretskii <address@hidden> writes:

>> From: hw <address@hidden>
>> Cc: address@hidden, address@hidden, address@hidden,
>> address@hidden, address@hidden, address@hidden,
>> address@hidden, address@hidden
>> Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2018 23:22:04 +0200
>> 
>> >> Emacs has point and (the end of) the region (selection) always entangled
>> >> with no way to separate them or to disable the region.  That is what I
>> >> dislike so much, and it causes all kinds of issues.
>> >
>> > It is also why it is so convenient to define the region without using
>> > the mouse.  With the current way of defining region, you just go to
>> > the other end, and you are immediately ready to invoke commands that
>> > operate on the region.  How do you do that if point is not on one of
>> > the edges of the region, except by dragging the mouse?
>> 
>> Commands limited to the selection can work with the selection without a
>> need to even have the selection displayed on screen.
>
> I don't see how this is relevant to the aspect of the Emacs region to
> which I was referring.

It refers to your idea that it would be inconvenient having to use a
pointing device to do something with a selection.

>> If you want to start making a selection where the cursor currently is,
>> simply use the key binding to set a marker.  Otherwise, navigate to
>> where you want to set the marker first.  You can use a trackball or not,
>> it's unrelated.
>
> How is this different from what we have now?

If you were referring to a persistent selection, the difference would be
that the persistent selection has two markers rather than only one.
Still you do not need to use a pointing device.

>> To be able to go to the other end of the selection, you first have to
>> make one.
>
> That's why Emacs has a lot of commands that mark significant portions
> of text: word, sentence, paragraph, sexp, etc.  Emacs also has a
> matching set of cursor motion commands.  It makes all of that easy.

You could even use a pointing device to select something.

>> There is no going to "the other end" of a region before a
>> selection has been made, and once one has been made, there is no need to
>> do that in order to do something with the selection
>
> Emacs does that the other way around, but the result is no less
> convenient and efficient.

How do you go to the other end of a selection before it has been made,
and why would you?