Re: .emacs and other config file questions

[Deniz Dogan]

2010/11/13 Tommy Kelly <tommy.kelly@verilab.com>:
> Back to using emacs after a long absence. This is partly a test to see
> if I've set up Gnus properly so as to post to gmane. But I've a few
> acatual (although probably old and well-worn) questions on emacs
> configuration. I've browsed gmane archives and googled about for info
> but can't find anything definitive:
>
> 1. "customize" versus Do It Yourself?
> =====================================
> Is there a general view as to the pros and cons of using customize
> versus just writing the lisp yourself? Although I know very little lisp,
> I'm inclined towards the latter -- primarily so I'm forced to
> learn. Customize is cool and easy and simple, but I worry it leaves me
> dependent on it. Make sense, or am I just trying to punch nails in with
> my fist when even the cool kids these days use the customize nailgun?
> Found a few items on this, including
> http://article.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.help/25218 which references
> something back in 1999 that I couldn't locate.
>

Take rcirc-track-minor-mode as an example, which if set through
customize immediately takes effect whereas it doesn't if you just setq
it. This is because rcirc-track-minor-mode is defined using
define-minor-mode which evaluates code whenever its value changes.

You shouldn't be afraid of using customize, it's there to help. The
only problem as I see it is that it doesn't let you easily split up
your customizations into separate files, but I could be wrong.

-- 
Deniz Dogan