bug#20112: 24.4; (emacs-uptime): insert at point when called with prefix

[Adam Sjøgren]

Glenn writes:

> Adam Sjøgren wrote:

>> Here is a patch making emacs-uptime insert at point when called with
>> prefix, similar to what emacs-version does:
>
> Thanks. As I've said before, personally I do not see the point of either.
> Should every function that returns a string provide the option to insert
> it? If not, what's special about this one?

emacs-version and gnus-version are strings you sometimes want to
communicate to people, via email or news article ("I'm using C-u M-x
emacs-version").

The first thing I tried when I learned that emacs-uptime existed was to
use it in the same way: "Hey, look at me, my Emacs has an uptime of C-u
M-x emacs-uptime!"

Every function that reports a string of information you sometimes want
to communicate, and does nothing but that, I don't see why it should not
support inserting the string. What is the point of not providing that
option?

If you have a good idea for a general solution that avoids these
functions having a HERE argument, I would be interested to hear it.