Re: Customize buttons that change user's custom fileshouldaskforconfirmation

[Richard Stallman]

    In contrast, most other applications only have these states:

    F * the field value
    A * the active (current/saved) value
    D * the default value
    ...

    The big problem is that if the user sets option X on a page and does
    <Set> "F => C", and then (sometime later) sets option Y on the same
    page, and then does <Save> "F => C,S", the effect is that the change
    to X is also saved.  This may be highly confusing to a user.

One possible solution for that is to discourage, or even get rid of,
of the per-variable command button.  If there is only the whole-buffer
Set and the whole-buffer Save, this confusion won't happen.

ISTR that I have seen apps where there is no difference between the
field value and the active value within the customization tool, but
all the changes require confirmation when you exit the customization
tool.

The concept of "exiting" does not make sense for a Custom buffer, but
there could be a buffer-wide Activate command, "Put this in effect",
which combines Set and Save.  If that were the only way to make values
take effect, it would be a lot simpler than the current Custom
facility.

In addition to Activate, there would be Cancel and Standard Values.
And perhaps What's Changed, which says what would change if you use
Activate right now.

What do people think of the idea?