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: Wed, 19 Sep 2018 01:45:59 +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.
>
> In that case, the issue is still there, because the selection had to
> be created somehow, and that would be possible by mouse only.  So the
> Emacs way is more convenient in many use cases.

You do not need to use the trackball when you want to make a selection
in joe.  Why would it be required in Emacs?

>> You could even use a pointing device to select something.
>
> Of course.  But it's a distraction to use a pointing device while
> typing.

right

>> >> 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,
>
> With cursor motion commands, of which Emacs has a lot, for the various
> meaningful portions of text (word, sentence, paragraph, sexp, etc.).

How can these meaningful portions of text be at the end of a selection
that hasn't been made yet?

>> and why would you?
>
> To define the region as appropriate for the command I want to invoke.

So you go somewhere first and make a selection before you can go to
either end of it.