Re: [RFC] Micro-Init files in GNU ELPA

[joakim]

Ted Zlatanov <address@hidden> writes:

> On Thu, 05 Dec 2013 10:16:25 +0530 Jambunathan K <address@hidden> wrote: 
>
> JK> Ted Zlatanov <address@hidden> writes:
>>> I think all of these will cause problems
>>> 
>>> - deprecation of variables
>>> - incompatibility of snippets
>>> - dependencies
>>> - loss of configurability and visibility
>>> - bug and maintenance burden on the submitters
>>> - documentation (or lack thereof)
>
> JK> My suggestion acknowledges the existing behaviour and merely
> JK> systematizes it.
>
> JK> My suggestion is a practical suggestion that need to be tested on the
> JK> field and dismissed with a theoretical object.
>
> Your suggestion is completely impractical if it doesn't consider the
> practical problems I listed.  Saying "like GNU ELPA but for
> configuration snippets" is like saying "like a car but flying and for
> giraffes."  Let's talk about how it will fly.
>
>>> I personally would not use or enjoy such a system.
>
> JK> That's precisely the point.  You don't have to.
>
> JK> Installing packages from GNU ELPA is optional.  Most intermediate to
> JK> expert Emacs users will not use such a system.
>
> JK> But new users will.
>
> I am intermediate-to-expert and I use and love the GNU ELPA.  I'd love
> to see a new way to configure Emacs; I remember discussing Assistants on
> emacs-devel a while back.  Assistants are interactive wizards,
> implemented by Lars years ago in Gnus but I have yet to figure out how
> to use them as a programmer.  Assistants are much closer to what I'd
> like to see in Emacs for new users.
>
> Packages and configuration snippets are completely different things.
> If you want to argue that they can be treated the same way at the user
> level, take the practical concerns I listed into consideration.  Those
> are concerns with any package system you present to a user.

There is already a "configuration snippet system" deployed to GNU ELPA.
The various color themes provided there.

I use something similar locally: https://github.com/jave/zen-mode

It provides a means to switch between different emacs setups, defined as
themes.

So, if you would like to deploy a bunch of particular settings together as a
theme , you can already do that.

You cant meaningfully deploy a theme that requires user action like this
of course. That would require something like the "Assistant"
idea. However, I think theres room for both ideas, as already evidenced
by colour themes.

> Ted
>
>

-- 
Joakim Verona