RE: New start up splash screen annoyance...

[Drew Adams]

> > We could also consider having *several messages*, each of them being
> > displayed for a few seconds (say 2).
> >
> > It is the best trade-off I can think of:
> >
> > - it lets Emacs display a file when given as an argument;
> > - it lets Emacs display *all* the information you want;
> > - it catches the attention of the new users more efficiently.
>
> Does anyone here agree that *several* echo-area messages,
> persistently displayed one by one at a small time interval,
> would catch beginners attention more efficiently than the
> current static buffer solution ?

B
u
r
m
a

S
h
a
v
e
!

Yes!

Criss-cross the globe with tiny Emacs-noob GNU ads every few kilometers.

Raise swarms of balloons and blimps (hot-air, naturally) showing sparkling,
flashing mission statements, household tips, and other useful GNU reminders.
Drones and nano-copters too, indoors and out.

Paint barns, sky write, and drape bunting to celebrate: "The new GNU Emacs
is here!", "Le nouveau GNU Emacs est arrive!", and "Surrender Dorothy!".
(oops?)

GNU satellites orbiting our everwarming Mother Earth, beaming "Welcome!"
messages every few minutes to text-messaging teenie noobs and helpful NEWS
updates to their TeX-massaging forbears.

Marching bands and pop singers to visit every village and proclaim proudly
"GNUness Is GOOD For You", "GNU The Beautiful", "Onward GNUian Soldiers!",
"GNU Is Great", "There is Only One GNU, and Its Name Is GNU", and of course
(our anthem) "GNU Is Not UNIX". (UNIX? What's that?)

Instead of an ordinary checkbox to "See this nevermore" (too easy!), let 'em
wander the Info Desert without water in search of   h o w   t o   t u r n
i t   o f f.

That'll teach 'em to quickly come of age and metamorphose out of their
larval noobness. Only the first of many holy GNU grails: Try to banish the
splash! Just try it. And certainly not a hint about it in the Tutorial.

For ex-noobs, proud bumper stickers: "I banished it", "I survived the
Splash!", "I GNU I could do it", "My child is an honor Emacs ex-noob", and
"Emacs ex-noob on board".

Do we have an award for the longest (and splashiest) emacs-devel thread? How
long can we keep this one going? Don't break the chain, or bad luck will be
visited upon you.