Re: [O] org mode moves to GNU emacs core

[Robert Horn]

Bastien Guerry writes:

> Hi Philip,
>
> address@hidden (Phillip Lord) writes:
>
>> I presume you do see this as an advantage? The issue is, surely,
>> that it's too much of a PITA for the advantage that you gain?
>
> Well, it's not really about PITA-or-not-PITA, it's just that I want
> org-mode to be the default mode for some files in Emacs, and having
> org-mode in Emacs' core is the most simple way to go for this.
>

I just did a quick check of my git repositories for org-mode and emacs.
There is a significant difference in release cycle policies, and this
will affect users.  Emacs makes a release about once every 9 months,
usually a point release.  Major feature releases are less frequent.
Org-mode makes a release about once per month, also usually a point
release.

I think that switching to the emacs cycle would be perceived as making
org-mode far less responsive to problem reports and feature improvements.

There are ways that the git repositories and release policies can be
organized to enable more rapid response to minor bugs and small features
while still integrating into core emacs.  I think that you should figure
out a mutually acceptable means of maintaining the present rapid
responsiveness.  With a suitable structuring of make files, etc., you
can probably also deal with the performance issues associated with
building updated versions.  The emacs maintainers would have to agree.

It does call for a little more setup work, and probably a semi-permanent
branch structure in git to allow for org updates, while gaining most of
what you want.

It would also mean that those who want to stay on the leading edge of
org-mode would need to maintain git synchronization with emacs rather
than org-mode.  With good explanation and documentation that shouldn't
be too much of a problem.  I do it already on an ad-hoc basis because I
found elpa to be too problematic.

R Horn