Re: Suggested experimental test

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2021 14:15:26 +0000
> From: Gregory Heytings <gregory@heytings.org>
> cc: larsi@gnus.org, emacs-devel@gnu.org
> 
> I see your points, but all this is rather sad, because it means that Emacs 
> is forever locked by what looks very much like a historical accident.

I disagree, on both counts: Emacs isn't locked, and what we have is
not an accident.  The utmost easiness with which users can change the
key bindings means there isn't, and can never be, a lockdown.

> I'm not sure if the above ("this is not our problem") is your opinion, or 
> if you just present a possible viewpoint you do not necessarily share. 

Does it matter?

> Just type emacs -Q, M-x list-packages RET, RET.  The package you now see 
> ('ace-window') asks you to fiddle with your init file by adding a 
> 'global-set-key' to it.  The second package in the list ('ack') does the 
> same.  And so forth.  That's not a problem for you and me, it is a problem 
> for newcomers, and these 'global-set-key's should be done automatically, 
> during the installation process.  Do you know any other software that asks 
> you to change a configuration file manually to use an extension package?

I disagree that it's a problem.  Customizing key bindings is an
integral part of using Emacs wisely and efficiently, and the sooner
newcomers learn that the better.  Emacs is unlike many other editors
in this regard.

> As the author of Magit wrote when he added the "C-x g" global binding:
> 
> "Some [...] beginners will initially have a low threshold for things not 
> working out of the box and I don't want to (continue to) scare them off by 
> immediately forcing them to learn how to add key bindings and what that 
> even means.  There's a lot of talk about making Emacs friendlier for 
> beginners and this is a small step in that direction." [1]
> 
> [1] https://github.com/magit/magit/pull/4237#issuecomment-723495053

I can only say I disagree, with all due respect to Magit and its
authors.  Trying to make everybody happy with the default Emacs key
bindings is a dead end.  Trying to solve that unsolvable problem is a
waste of energy.